Avatar Cat 2: Legend Of Owlflame: Fall
by Warrior Cat Cody
Summary: Owlflame, the Avatar Cat after Goldstar, travels to United City, where she learns of a new threat arising. Will she and her new friends work together to save United City from Anubis and his Equalists? Rated T for language, blood, violence, and rude humor. Sequel to Avatar Cat: The Last AirClan Cat.
1. Theme

**AvatarCat12: Hey there, everyone! I'm back! And welcome to Avatar Cat 2: Legend Of Owlflame! I know this may be a WEE bit too early, but I just decided to go ahead and upload this new story. And I hope no one minds yet.**

**Aang: We don't mind. And it's great to see my next incarnation in cat form!**

**Katara: And me in my old cat form.**

**AvatarCat12: Yep. It's a joy to us all. Who wants to say the disclaimer?**

**Katara: I will.**

**Disclaimer: Legend Of Korra and Warrior Cats do not belong to AvatarCat12. Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, and Erin Hunter own them.**

**Publishing Date: March 25, 2012**

**All three: Enjoy!**

**...**

_**Theme**_

_Earth, element of strength._

_Fire, element of passion._

_Air, element of freedom._

_Water, element of kindness._

_When I was a kit, my father, Avatar Cat Goldstar, told me the story of how he and his comrades bravely ended the Great War. Goldstar and Bearstar, leader of FireClan, changed FireClan's colonies into the United Republic of Cat Clans, a society where Benders and non-Benders from all over the world could live and flourish in peace and harmony._

_They named the capital of this great land United City. Avatar Cat Goldstar achieved many great things in his life, but sadly, his time in this world came to an end, for he died at the age of nine. But like the cycle of the seasons, the cycle of the Avatar Cat began anew._

_For when one journey ends, another begins._

**...**

**AvatarCat12: How was that?**

**Aang: That was great! My own son in cat form! And saying the narration like Katara!**

**Katara: I'm proud of our son too, Aang. (The two of them embrace) And I'm also proud of Korra, even though she's nothing like you, sweetie.**

**AvatarCat12: (Chuckles) Don't let Sokka be around when you two are like that. Or you'll hear no end to the oogies. But anyways, let's go on to the review thing and the first episode of the new series: Welcome To United City. (To the readers) Anyone who reviews will get a Korra plush doll, and we don't allow flames, though we accept constructive criticism.**

**Preview: The new Avatar Cat has been revealed: Owlflame, who just has to learn one element left: AirBending. But when her new mentor's duties pull him away to United City, she and her animal guide have to find a way to get to him. And when she gets there, will the city's sights distract her from her job?**

**All three: See ya next time! And Happy early Easter!**


	2. Welcome To United City

**AvatarCat12: Hey there, everyone. Right now, Aang and Katara aren't here for the commentaries as we usually do together. So right now, we've got a new person coming in with the commentaries will be here for the first time...AVATAR KORRA!**

**Korra: (Coming into the office amongst the cheers) Thank you! Thank you, guys! And hey, Avatar Cat! It's nice meeting you! The past Katara told me much about you!**

**AvatarCat12: (Shakes hands with her) Nice to meet you too, Korra. You excited about AirBending training?**

**Korra: Yeah! But first, lemme say the disclaimer! (AvatarCat12 nods) Sweet! Thanks!**

**Disclaimer: My series and Warrior Cats aren't his. If they were, he'd be living in either Beverly Hills or Hollywood. Like the other series, this will also be a mixture of Ginga Densetsu Weed thrown in. And this will also have a mix of Varjak Paw in here. And the song He Lives In You belongs to The Lion King...mostly the sequel.**

**Summary: The new Avatar Cat has been revealed: Owlflame, who just has to learn one element left: AirBending. But when her new mentor's duties pull him away to United City, she and her animal guide have to find a way to get to him. And when she gets there, will the city's sights distract her from her job?**

**Uploading Date: March 30, 2012**

**Both: Enjoy!**

**...**

_**Welcome To United City**_

Moons ago, the Twolegs had roamed the Earth, multiplying in numbers while some animals either multiply or decrease. But after they had vanished from the face of the planet, the animals began to dominate the world like they had before, during, and after the dinosaurs. And among those animals that rose above the others were Clan cats.

Like the five older Clans (ThunderClan, ShadowClan, WindClan, RiverClan, and SkyClan), four newer Clans had risen to become the new dominant animals on the Earth. Unlike the older Clans before them, these new Clans learned to Bend the elements around them to adapt to this world. They became Benders of their own location; AirClan lived in mountains, EarthClan lived on the main continent, FireClan lived on tropical isles, and WaterClan lived in the tundra.

One cat had risen above other Clan cats to Bend all four elements: the Avatar Cat. Able to be born again in each Clan by a respective order, he or she was able to keep balance between the world of the Clan cats and the territories of either StarClan or the Dark Forest. However, though their duty was to be loyal to all the Clans, they had strangely vanished. Because of this, FireClan launched a Great War on the world that lasted for fourteen years. Luckily, Avatar Cat Goldstar put the War to an end. For the rest of his days, he worked hard in gaining world peace.

But a new Avatar Cat is rising...

**...**

_Night_

_And the spirit of life_

_Calling (Oh oh iyo)_

_Mamela (Oh oh iyo)_

Gray clouds darkened the sky while the snowy wind blew strongly. The dimly lit dens of the Southern WaterClan were still lit, and three cats, one holding a lantern, padded near the city. They prowled up onto a hilltop and gazed over the city, lifting their muzzles up and opening their jaws to taste the air. Flicking their tails, the cats made their way down the slope and onwards to the house nearest to the wall.

When they arrived, they knocked on the front, just as the owner came out. He was a large brown tabby tom with amber eyes and a lantern dangling from his jaws.

"It is a great honor for the Order of the Phoenix to visit my family," the tabby mewed with pride, dipping his head forward in respect. "Thank you so much."

Then he flicked his tail inside his den, letting the Order of the Phoenix enter. Inside, there was the large tabby's mate, a smaller gray she-cat with blue eyes, sweeping up the floor. When she noticed the three cats enter the building, she stopped and faced them, twitching her tail left and right.

"Greeting," she purred as she bowed her head, not noticing a shield fall to the floor.

The three cats from the Order nodded and lifted their hoods away. One was a tall light gray tom with a torn ear, one was a stout dark gray tom with a flat face, and the last was a ginger she-cat.

"Tanrock and Dovesong, we have examined many claims about the one, both here and in the northern Clan," the dark gray tom meowed. "All have turned out to be false."

Tanrock padded to his mate and laid a paw on her shoulder. Upon hearing the doubt of the Order leader, the duo smiled at each other. Then Dovesong purred, "Then you'll be happy to know that your search is over."

Her mate nodded with her.

But the dark gray tom meowed suspiciously, "Oh? Then how are you sure your kit is the one?"

"We'll show you," Dovesong meowed. Then, turning her head, she called, "Owlkit! Come in here please! We got company!"

_Ubukhosi bo khokho_

_We ndodana ye sizwe sonke_

Suddenly, a slab of earth flew past the three members of the Phoenix, whose eyes all grew big in shock. Quickly turning to the right to see who Bended the earth, they saw a young kit standing in a round hole in the wall. This kit had blue-gray fur, bright blue eyes, a chubby figure, and a great powerful spirit beyond her age.

"I'm the Avatar Cat!" she crowed, raising her tail in the air. "You gotta deal with it!"

Then the kit jumped forward and lashed out to the left, leaving a trail of fire. Performing a back kick, she sent a small fire arc toward the Phoenix members, making them back off. She extended a small slice of the earth from the ground, causing the members to withdraw even more. Sending yet another fire blast toward them, she set the corner of the Order leader's cape on fire.

The member quickly put out the flames by retracting water from a small puddle on the ground. All three cats looked very awestruck and surprised. Then Owlkit began displaying WaterBending by raising a trail of water to her left with her tail. She proceeded to stomp the ground, levitating a chunk of earth, and slamming it away to her right. Finally, she Bended a fire stream into the air, which was enough to make the air around them warm.

_Wait!_

_There's no mountain too great_

_Hear the words and have faith (Oh oh iyo)_

_Oh oh iyo_

_Have faith_

**...**

_He lives in you (Hela Hey Mamela)_

_He lives in me (Hela Hey Mamela)_

_He watches over (Hela Hey Mamela)_

_Everything we see (Hela Hey Mamela)_

Owlflame, wearing red armor, emerged from a blast of fire, kicked two fire blasts at a gray tom wearing the same armor. She had grown up from a cute pudgy little kit to a beautiful, slender, yet well-built warrior. The tom braced himself in protection, but he was sent flying and crashed to the ground. As Owlflame landed, two toms, wearing the same armor, shot fire streams at her at the same time. Behind her, five cats observed the fight.

Without reacting in time, Owlflame was engulfed in a ball of flames, but she put the fire out by moving her tail in a circular motion. As she took on a fighting stance again, one cat charged at her, shooting three fire blasts at the Avatar Cat, but she managed to nimbly evade them all and rushed forward. When the cat leapt up and sent a fire arc in her direction, the blue-gray she-cat ducked under the flames and extended her paw, throwing him off balance. He flipped over a few times and crashed to the ground, but he stood up right away.

Owlflame, now in between the two cats, caught the fire stream of the cat in front of her head on while kicking back the tom charging her from behind. Retaliating with fire blasts of her own, she knocked down one cat. Turning back and forth to defend herself again incoming fire blasts from both men, she powered up her own attack and fired it at the cat right in front of her, sending him flying up a nearby roof of a small building near the training grounds, where he slid down for the count, leaving a trail of smoke.

Behind her were the cats from the Order of the Phoenix. Three of them were cats who had visited her when she was a kit, and the fourth was her FireBending mentor, a dark golden tom. And the fifth cat was her WaterBending mentor: Silverheart, an aged silver tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes. She was also the mate of the former Avatar Cat, Goldstar.

"She's a strong one," the old she-cat rasped.

"Yes, but she lacks restraint," the dark gray tom with the flat face meowed, turning towards her with annoyance.

_Into the water (Hela Hey Mamela)_

_Into the truth (Hela Hey Mamela)_

_In your reflection_

_He lives in you_

Back in the battle, the last FireBender charged Owlflame while showering her with a fire stream. She ran at the tabby, smiling confidently. The Avatar Cat leapt straight into the fire blast, parted it, and grabbed the cat's scruff, stopping his Bending. She slammed him down and used him as a step-up to propel herself into the air. From her raised spot, she swiped a fire arc in the Bender's direction and showered him with a powerful fire stream as she landed. The tabby was thrown backwards, where he sagged down in defeat, smoking lightly.

"Woo hoo!" Owlflame cheered as she took her helmet off, running towards the cats watching her. Seeing the looks on their faces, she mewed, "What's with the doom and gloom, everyone? We should be celebrating! I got three elements down, and I need one more to go!"

No one spoke at first. Then the dark golden tom meowed, "As usual, Owlflame, you're getting too much ahead of yourself. We haven't even decided to pass your FireBending yet."

"He's right," the Order leader added. "Ever since you were a kit, you've shone in the physical side of Bending, but you've also ignored the _spiritual_ side. The Avatar Cat _must_ master both."

Owlflame bowed her head slightly, not really interested in hearing all of this again. "I haven't ignored it; it's just not easy for me." Feeling more upbeat, she added, "But that's why I should start training with Sunstar right away. He's _Mister_ Spiritual," she added, waving her tail about in interest.

This made the Order of the Phoenix stare at her in mild surprise. Then the leader turned to one cat who had not spoken and meowed, "Owlflame says she is ready for AirBending training. Do _you _think she's ready, Silverheart?"

"Yes," the old WaterBender replied, her dark blue eyes nostalgic. "If Owlflame is ready for training when the time comes, Sunstar can teach her. I know he can."

Her response left the other cats speechless. Owlflame's FireBending mentor's jaw dropped as he heard this. The two Phoenix cats in the back row closed their eyes and faintly bowed their heads. Soon, the other two elders joined them in bowing their heads to Silverheart before opening their eyes and raising their heads. Owlflame knew her WaterBending mentor was respected among her Clan, especially since she was Goldstar's mate.

Finally, the dark gray leader sighed. "Very well. Owlflame, it is time to begin your AirBending training."

_Really? _Owlflame thought with joy. Leaping into the air and spinning around, she purred, "Yes! Finally!"

But when she stopped, she saw the warriors looking at her in confusion and dismay; however, only Silverheart looked amused. Calming down, she cleared her throat, bowed her head, and purred, "I mean...thank you all for believing in me."

Smiling innocently, she slowly started walking away, still eying the elders. Unable to contain her excitement, Owlflame broke into a run and left the training grounds. But she could have sworn that Silverheart was keeping an eye her with a smile on her aging face. She wondered if her old mentor really meant it by saying she could train with the AirClan leader.

Owlflame dashed off some stairs toward the stables and opened the gate. Inside the stables were large cart horses...and a large female black wolf. This was Nisa, her pet dire wolf and animal guide, just like a dragon named Archie was to Goldstar.

"You should've seen it out there, Nisa!" Owlflame purred.

At the sound of her name, Nisa pricked up her ears upon hearing her name, wagged her tail, and got up to meet her master. As she started licking her face, Owlflame mewed, "Guess what? I beat some FireBender ass, and guess what? _I passed!_" she finished, hugging her pet around the head.

"And I've got some more good news," Owlflame went on. "Sunstar's coming here in a few more days!"

She rubbed the top of Nisa's head while the large dire wolf happily licked her master on the face. This made Owlflame laugh joyfully, happy that her pet was always there by her side. Putting a saddle on her back, the Avatar Cat leapt aboard and steered Nisa out of the stable, thinking she heard the horses sigh with relief.

When she looked around as they made it to the top of a slope, she could see the entire city of the southern WaterClan, big walls and a big decorated gate now surrounding it. She heard tales from Silverheart saying of how the city used to be a camp like the ancient Clans from years ago. And Silverheart's father, Emberstar, had once been the leader of this Clan before his son Ashstar, the former leader, took over.

But when she came towards the field, she gave a small groan. A sentry was padding toward the edge of his guard tower and looked down to Owlflame. She had been guarded heavily ever since she was taken away from training.

"Just taking Nisa out for a walk," she called.

But the guard looked unsure, so Owlflame hissed in annoyance at the guard's reluctance to open the gate. Irritated, she sighed, "Don't worry; we're not going far."

The tom still looked unsure, but he padded back anyways. The sun, now peering through the growing crack formed by the opening gates, moved over a broadly smiling Owlflame. She steered Nisa out the gates, but she was sure there were two Phoenix members eying her from atop a nearby hill as she rode her wolf over the large snowy plains.

Owlflame looked down at Nisa and purred, "Faster, girl!" When Nisa picked up the pace, she added, "That's good! Go! Go! Go!"

Nisa let out a howl as she ran faster. Owlflame felt herself go up and down steadily as her pet ran over the snow, passing a flock of penguins starting to greet their mates from their feeding. She could feel the scar on her muzzle sting from where a snowy owl clawed her during training in the night. This was how she had gotten her name, for the rogue smith owl was using its blacksmith skills before she disturbed it.

But that didn't matter. What mattered was that she was going to train with the former Avatar Cat's son.

**...**

It was sunset, and Owlflame waited with Silverheart as they looked up to the sky. Sunstar was sure to arrive at any moment; he had said in his last letter that he would come. After they had a bite to eat (since Owlflame had always loved salmon), they went outside to scan the skies. And then...she saw it.

It was a dragon, a large white Asian Lung dragon with a brown arrow stripe coursing from its head to its tail, brown stripes branching out from the big stripe, and green eyes. This was one of the new species of dragon Goldstar had found. And from the sounds of meowing on its back, Owlflame supposed there were cats on there. Right now, a kit's voice was squealing loudly and cheerfully.

"Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?" the voice was squealing as the dragon started to descend. Owlflame purred as the voice went on, "It looks like we're there! I know it! I know it anywhere! Are we here yet? Are we here yet? Ooh, please tell me we're here!"

"Yes, Plumkit," a deep voice sighed as the dragon landed on the ground. "As I've told you for the past fifteen minutes, we're _finally_ here."

Owlflame looked up in time to see two kits excitedly jumping off the dragon, riding on its tail on Air Paws, a move Goldstar had invented. One of the kits was a light brown she-kit with amber eyes, and the other was a longhaired gray tabby she-kit with dark gray eyes. And the tom who was their father padded towards Silverheart, a pale ginger kit gnawing on his head.

At first, Owlflame thought he was a lion instead of a cat. This cat had the same golden pelt and white arrow stripes as Goldstar, but he had a broad head, neck, and mane like a lion and light gray eyes. Finally, by the look on his face, he looked exhausted, but he tried to smile as he and his mother padded towards each other.

"Hello, Mother," Sunstar meowed as the ginger kit kept pulling on his ears. Beside him, his other kits sat beside their father. "It's good to see you again. Ugh..._please_ help me," he added as the kit pulled painfully on his mane.

Silverheart purred warmly as her son bowed his great broad head low for her to grab the kit. Then she padded forward and grabbed the kit by its scruff, taking him gently away from his father.

"Let go of me, strange loner!" the kit squealed, squirming as his grandmother held him by his scruff.

Sunstar merely sighed. "She's your grandmother, Foxkit."

The pale ginger kit wriggled out of Silverheart's jaws, leapt easily over her head, and ran around her back to Sunstar. The old silver tabby looked mildly surprised at this, but she looked happy again, purring and smiling a loving smile.

"It's good to see you all again," Silverheart rasped, her whiskers twitching. The blue fox fang necklace around her neck shone as she gave a small chuckle.

The light brown she-kit crept towards her grandmother as if she was a StarClan cat coming down from the stars. She mewed, "Grandma, I've read all of your adventures, and I really want to know something. What happened to Bearstar's mom?"

Owlflame pricked her ears up in interest. She also wanted to know about if the fabled FireClan leader had found his mother. She even knew that Goldstar and Bearstar were descended from Firestar and Tigerstar, two legendary leaders from the ancient Clans.

Silverheart purred, "Well, Ivykit, it's a charming tale. But where to begin? Well...Goldstar and Bearstar-"

"Hey, Grandma! You look old! How old are you?" Plumkit was back. "And why is it cold here in the South Pole?"

Jumping up and down, Plumkit kept mewing as Ivykit sat solemnly, "Can we make a campfire and huddle around it and tell scary stories and make snow angels? And can you make the angels move with WaterBending and chase us like a black bear? Wouldn't that be fuuun? Huh?"

Ivykit lowered her head dismally, but Silverheart looked like she didn't know how to reply to Plumkit's mewling. Then as the little gray kit stopped to pant, she gave her granddaughter an amused smile.

A shuffling noise told Owlflame that Sunstar was padding towards the Asian Lung dragon's tail. He had reared up onto his hind legs and caught a she-cat by the scruff in time; when she stood up straight, Owlflame saw the she-cat properly for the first time. This had to be Sunstar's mate, a pretty white she-cat with dark golden tabby patches and green eyes. And her swollen belly told Owlflame that she had to be carrying kits.

"Steady, Dawnfall," Sunstar meowed softly as he pressed his long pelt against her. "You have to be more careful. Steady now."

"I'm fine, Sunstar," his mate replied as he helped her walk for a few steps. "_Please_ stop doting on me. I'm not helpless, you know; I'm just carrying your kits."

She gently laid a tail on her swollen belly as Sunstar gently did the same. Dawnfall managed to pad a few steps off the dragon's tail before landing gently on the snow, her mate just beside her. Then when that was done, they padded over to Silverheart, who gave Dawnfall a hug.

"Hello, Dawnfall," the elder purred as she laid her muzzle on the young queen's belly. "I see that the kits are healthy. And I think there may be future AirBenders yet to come."

But the smile on Dawnfall's face fell into surprise then mild irritation. "Good to see you too," she replied. "But look, all I want is a litter of kits that'll be like me for once. Non-Benders, you know?" she added, looking hopeful. Then she dropped the happy act as she went on, "Kits that don't blast your face with air every five seconds."

At this, Sunstar started to innocently turn his head around and groom his shoulder. Silverheart just gave her daughter-in-law a comforting smile. But Owlflame was confused; she thought the AirClan queen was happy to have AirBending kits.

"Mama, look!" Dawnfall turned to give Foxkit a slightly irritated look as he called for her.

The pale ginger kit was racing away as he joined up with his older littermates. Ivykit was helping Plumkit make some snow angels while Foxkit was completely covered in snow. Then he blew it all away at his mother with AirBending, adding, "I'm a _SnowBender_!"

Dawnfall just gave her son a slightly irritated look, snow covering the golden tabby patches on her fur. The white-furred pregnant queen shook the snow off of her fur, grunting a bit; Owlflame guessed that the unborn kits were protesting. But when she shook the snow off of her, her pelt became prickly like a hedgehog's, much further to her dismay.

"See?" she groaned, flicking her tail at Sunstar. "Weren't Sunstar and his siblings like our kits?"

"Well..." Silverheart replied, letting her tail thump on the snow. She sounded calm, yet she had a peaceful trace in her voice. "Seashell and Rockfall _were_ surely hyperactive, but Sunstar was always...rather serious," she added, winking slightly at her son.

"Mother, _please_," Sunstar just sighed, slightly pouting.

Silverheart merely smiled at the golden AirClan leader. Owlflame could tell that they and the rest of their family were close just like with her and her parents.

Then she noticed Sunstar looking over at her with respect and nostalgia. She just stood there like a frozen rabbit for a few moments before padding over to her new mentor. Now when she got a bit near the golden tom, he seemed a bit like a giant to her, though it was maybe due to his mane.

"Owlflame?" he purred when she got nearer, making her dash to him. "Well, look at you. You've grown bigger and stronger. Not to mention powerful. You're growing into a fine Avatar Cat."

"I'm really happy you're here," Owlflame replied happily. "I can't _wait_ to start my training!"

However, to her confusion, Sunstar's broad smiling face turned from pride to indecision. "Yes, well..." he started, but he ended it with a sigh.

Owlflame was confused too. What was her new mentor trying to say? She shot a questioning look at Dawnfall, who turned around to face her mate.

"You'll have to tell her sooner or later," the white she-cat just told him.

"Tell me what?" Owlflame asked. Inside, she asked, _What the hell is he trying to say?_

No one spoke at first. Then Silverheart asked with sadness, "You're not staying, are you, son?"

Sunstar sighed. "I'm sorry, Mother, but...no. We're only spending the night here. Then in the morning, we're going back to United City."

_WHAT? _Owlflame thought with shock. All the training...all the moons in training...and all the waiting...gone. She couldn't believe Sunstar was not going to teach her; she had wanted to learn AirBending so badly. _This isn't how things work out!_

"But I thought you were moving here!" she mewled like a kit. "I thought you'd be my mentor!"

"I'm sorry, Owlflame," Sunstar replied, looking at the setting sun. "But I'm afraid your training will have to wait."

**...**

_**Commercial Break**_

**...**

"How long will it be until you teach me AirBending? A quarter-moon? A moon?"

It was night, and Sunstar was eating calmly with three other cats from the Order of the Phoenix. Owlflame, who was eating beside them, was the one who had spoken. They were all eating in a dining hall decorated in WaterClan fashion. At the center of each table was an open pit spit roast, but the spit wasn't turning on tonight, presumably in respect of Sunstar's wish to eat fresh prey. Plus, since Sunstar was a half-Clan cat, he had liked eating fish as well as birds.

Sunstar's light gray eyes softened. "Perhaps a bit longer, I'm afraid."

Owlflame sighed too. "I don't understand. Why do I have to wait?"

"I have a responsibility back in United City," the golden tom replied. "Despite being the AirClan leader, I am also one of the United City leaders. And right now, its situation is quite unbalanced lately."

"But you also have a charge to teach me," Owlflame argued. Defiantly, she added, "And believe me, I'd be happy to find another AirBending mentor, but you're the only one. We're stuck with each other," she finished sadly.

Sunstar replied, "I just wish there was another way."

Owlflame nodded before hanging her head. But suddenly, as she did so, she thought up an idea. She knew that any cat would still try and tag along if they were rejected of anything. If she could do the same, then she would get the training she desired.

So she meowed, "There's actually a way. If you're not planning on staying here for a while, then I can come with you! It'll work out great!"

"Absolutely not!" It was the dark gray Phoenix leader who had growled, slapping his paw down on the salmon he was eating. "That city is too dangerous for you! Avatar Cat Goldstar tasked us with keeping you safe while finishing your training!"

"I know that already, _sir_," Owlflame retorted defiantly. "But keeping me locked here like I'm in prison isn't maybe what he had in mind."

The dark gray tom's flat face had a look of shock. It looked like he was going to chide her for not respecting her former life.

"I understand how you feel," Sunstar told her, waving his tail at the Phoenix leader. "But I don't think it's the right time for you to come along. You'll get the chance someday. I promise."

Owlflame let out a small groan and growled, "Whatever." Without waiting for the AirClan leader to call her back, she abruptly got up and left the room. The door slammed shut as she heard two weary sighs in the room.

It wasn't fair she couldn't go along with Sunstar to the city. If the Order of the Phoenix would let her go just once, it would be no problem. But they were keeping her here as if she was a priceless diamond that would break on snow. They had kept her guarded day and night ever since she was taken to their fortress for training.

_It's not fair! _Owlflame hissed to herself. _Those damn cats are SO not fair!_

**...**

Owlflame did not come to say good-bye to Sunstar and his family the next morning. Instead, she only heard them as they boarded their Asian Lung dragon with Silverheart telling them farewell. Despite feeling bad about the way she behaved the other night, she didn't want to face Sunstar and apologize.

_If he wanted to be my mentor, he'd take me with him and his family!_

"Good-bye, Grandma!" the shrill squeal of Plumkit called.

Owlflame heard Silverheart purr in reply. But the blue-gray she-cat only felt a growl in her own throat.

"We will see you later on, Mother," Sunstar was meowing. To the Asian Lung dragon, he called, "Yip yip, Ryu."

Ryu, which was perhaps the dragon's name, roared and lifted himself up into the air, the squeals of kits following the roar. Owlflame turned around to see Silverheart watch her son and her kin leave, wiping a small tear from her eye despite smiling. Unable to share the moment with her mentor, the blue-gray she-cat turned away once again.

Nisa, who Owlflame was riding on, lifted her muzzle into the air and watched as Ryu flew over their heads. They both followed the dragon's path with their gazes, Nisa howling softly. A very strong scent of cream told Owlflame that they were being watched by a cat of the Order. This just made Owlflame turn away, a sad expression on her face. It wasn't fair; she was stuck here and being watched all the time while Sunstar was free.

As she lifted her blue eyes toward the horizon where the dragon flew toward, her look suddenly became serious and determined. Owlflame didn't care what punishment she would face if she disobeyed the Order for going. She would not stop until she got there. Nothing would stop her.

_Nothing._

**...**

That night, while the other cats of the Order were asleep, Owlflame snuck into the stables where Nisa and the horses slept. When she got in there, only a few lights were lit up, and the horses were asleep. Nisa was already in her stall, a pile of caribou bones laying nearby, as her sides rose up and down in her sleep. Owlflame could remember when she had gotten her the first time; on the first night, she had fallen asleep like that.

Quietly, Owlflame slunk over to her dire wolf, took the saddle that hung on a pole, and started to saddle up her mount. As she was tightening the straps of the saddle, she wondered what life in the city was like. She remembered tales of Twoleg-like aliens arriving in her world and helping the cats build United City. Now these "Twolegs" and Clans cats lived as one.

_I can't wait!_

"Nice night for escaping, eh?"

Owlflame cringed and quickly spun around to see who had spoken. It was Silverheart, her silver tabby pelt visible in the dim light as she stood at the stable entrance.

_He lives in you (Hela Hey Mamela)_

_He lives in me (Hela Hey Mamela)_

_He watches over (Hela Hey Mamela)_

_Everything we see (Hela Hey Mamela)_

"I'm sorry," Owlflame sighed wearily. "But...I have to go. I have to find my own destiny as the Avatar Cat."

To her surprise, the old cat smiled as she closed her eyes as if she was thinking. Then she opened her eyes again, purring, "I know you do, young'un."

Owlflame was quickly thankful for Goldstar's mate to help her out. She closed her eyes, showing a relieved smile, and bowed her head to Silverheart as a quiet thank-you. When she looked back up, Silverheart faced her with wistfulness her dark blue eyes.

"Goldstar's time has come to an end," she sighed, apparently still grieving over her mate's death. "My brother and many of my friends have passed on into StarClan. Now it is time for you and your generation to take over the role of keeping peace and balance among the Clans. And I _know_ you'll make an amazing Avatar Cat," she added, moving forth and placing her right forepaw on the young Avatar Cat's shoulder.

"Thank you," Owlflame purred, hugging the old she-cat.

Silverheart purred in reply, "It's no problem. Good-bye, Owlflame...and good luck."

_Into the water (Hela Hey Mamela)_

_Into the truth (Hela Hey Mamela)_

_In your reflection_

_He lives in you_

The two she-cats, warrior and elder, broke apart before Owlflame padded away from Silverheart, Nisa following her master and whining. Looking back over her shoulder, the blue-gray she-cat could see her mentor looking after her with joy and pride. Owlflame gave her a small smile back before she joined Nisa, who was at the top of the slop and barking, at the top. But there was a big mound of snow in the way, so Owlflame pressed her paws to the wall and pushed.

Suddenly, a good distance away from her town, the snow trembled around her and was pushed to the side. Owlflame and Nisa arrived from the tunnel, shaking their fur. The young Avatar Cat waited for her wolf to shake off the snow off her pelt before mounting her and riding away. She would have to tell her parents about why she had to leave.

At last, Owlflame and Nisa arrived at her parents' humble home, where Tanrock and Dovesong were waiting at. When they got to the house, Owlflame told her parents everything about what she was going to do. Like the dark gray tomcat, they showed concern for her safety. However, like Silverheart, they understood what she had to do and did not want to stop her.

"Mom...Dad..." she mewed as they went outside. "I-I'll miss you."

"We love you so much," Dovesong rasped, her voice on the brink of breaking.

Tanrock licked his daughter on the ear and added, "It's true. And no matter what you do...you'll always be in our hearts."

Owlflame nodded and purred the same (her purr broken a bit by sobs) before padding to Nisa, turning away from her parents.

She climbed on the dire wolf, the shapes of her parents hugging each other as they watched their daughter. She cast one last look at her parents and led Nisa away, riding in the other direction. Owlflame could not bear to look back at her parents; looking back at them would break her heart even more. It felt like she was losing a part of herself, leaving her parents, her mentor, and her birth Clan behind.

**...**

But when she made it to the dock, she forgot her brief sadness because of her eagerness to go to Untied City. Owlflame and Nisa managed to sneak on board of a ship without anyone noticing them. Once they made it inside, they went inside to find shelter behind a Satomobile car and catch a few mice to eat. Then they fell asleep once they finished eating, Nisa twitching a little in her sleep; Owlflame supposed she was dreaming of chasing caribou.

But she couldn't sleep, her eyes focused on some place beyond the realm of this ship. Thinking of United City made her stay awake, wondering of what she would do once she and Nisa got there. Owlflame knew she had to learn AirBending from Sunstar, but she wanted to explore the city first. If she explored the city first, then she would know her way around and not get lost.

_I can't wait! _Owlflame thought again before falling asleep.

**...**

Heavy creaking sounds woke Owlflame up from a good sleep of catching wolf-sized salmon. She rubbed her eyes with her forepaws and looked around, licking her forepaw and swiping it over her face. Beside her, Nisa let out a small groan as she shook her head to get rid of any sleepiness in her yellow eyes. Just then, Owlflame sniffed the air and felt the hairs on her pelt rise; it smelled of smoke and Sato monsters.

_This must be United City! _she purred with joy. To Nisa, she purred, "I think we're here, Nisa! Can you believe it?"

The sunlight outside seems to burn its way into the gloomy cargo hold, warming their pelts. The Avatar Cat quickly hid behind some crates as she flinched at the brightness, shielding her eyes. Squinting, she turned and darted away. As a man with a clipboard oversaw some men manually unloading the crates, Nisa barked and ran towards them. They quickly looked up from their work, surprised. Nisa didn't notice as she continued bounding down the steel plank, knocking over one man as she went.

"Thanks for the ride!" Owlflame called, cheerfully waving to the Twoleg, who stared after her in amazement.

She rode away on Nisa toward a large suspension bridge leading toward the city. She pulled up nearly at the base of the bridge and gasped in pure amazement. Two zeppelins were floating above, each one the size of giant rocks. Owlflame turned to see the entire bridge and the skyline of United City with many buildings and towers gleaming in the morning light.

Owlflame couldn't believe it; she made it to United City. To Nisa, she pointed her paw to Sato monsters honking on the bridge and purred, "Look at this place. And hey, we haven't seen so much Sato monsters in one place before!"

Nisa barked before padding to a rail and resting her forepaws on it. Owlflame followed her lead and looked out towards Moon Bay, named after a WaterClan warrior named Moonfeather. Gray dolphins were chirping as Twolegs fed them fish from their nets with seagulls squabbling over leftovers. On the sandy beaches, elephant seals were resting except for a large-nosed male, who was looking around over his harem. And then, as Owlflame looked on, she saw it.

It was the statue of Avatar Cat Goldstar, sitting in the middle of the bay. Owlflame had heard many stories of the legendary Avatar Cat before her, how he had defeated the FireClan leader, Darkstar, to save the world. That was ten years ago, but Goldstar's tale had spread all through the Clans, making him a legend. And near it, just some fox-lengths away, was AirClan Island, where Sunstar and his family lived at. She could see outlines of dragons and birds on the island.

"It's AirClan Island. Where Sunstar lives. So what're you waiting for, Nisa? You ready for some swimming?" Owlflame asked her wolf.

Nisa lifted her nose to the air and started sniffing. Then, without warning, she let out a bark and ran off in the other direction.

Sighing, Owlflame went along with her, laughing, "Okay, girl! Okay! Food first, island later!"

**...**

A Satomobile honked and suddenly swerved to the left. Owlflame and Nisa came running in its way in the middle of the Thunderpath. Since Nisa's hunger was taking over, the female dire wolf was getting reckless when finding food.

Feeling a small bump in the road, Owlflame meowed, "Look out, Nisa! Eyes on the road!"

She gulped as Nisa only narrowly avoided a collision with a rapidly incoming truck. The truck broke down and slid horizontal over the road, slamming into another car. As Nisa ran through the smoke, Owlflame looked back at the damage they caused. The Twoleg owner of the truck yelled something at them, but they didn't look back.

Next, Owlflame and Nisa went on running down the street, causing pedestrians to look at them with awe. Owlflame was meowing "Whoops, sorry. Excuse us. Coming through. Heads up. Eh, sorry; new in town" in all directions.

Finally, Nisa came to an open square and slowed down, crouching low to smell the ground. She seemed to be locating the exact location of the smell. The black wolf followed her nose toward a small food stall, its wall comprised of an orange cloth. Nisa went to the side of the stall and stuck her head through the curtains; Owlflame did the same.

The food stall seemed to be teeming with different kinds of meat: fish, turkeys, and chicken. All that meat made Owlflame's mouth drool; she hadn't smelled anything that good before. But Nisa opened her jaws, seemingly ready to eat anything in the stall.

"Wait, Nisa," Owlflame told her sternly.

Nisa's bright yellow eyes opened wide and slanted down in disappointment. She laid down to the ground, whimpering softly, as Owlflame leaned back out of the curtains. She slid off of her pet wolf and padded to the front of the stall. Nisa's tail waggled excitedly in hopes of eating.

As the Twoleg seller of the meat stared suspiciously at her, Owlflame picked up a meat stick and meowed, "Once of each, please."

**(Author's Note: These "Twoleg" aliens can speak with cats...just not that often.)**

"That'll be twenty dollars," the seller said in a hard tone.

"Oh..." Owlflame looked away for a bit, unable to speak at first. She hadn't thought of asking her parents for money. Turning back around, she mewed, "Um...I don't have any money."

The Twoleg seller snatched the meat stick out of Owlflame's jaws, growling, "Then leave this shop if you don't have money!"

Confused and dejected, the Avatar Cat padded back to Nisa, who was whimpering, and patted her head with a forepaw. When Nisa looked at her owner, she started walking away, her head down in disappointment. Owlflame padded beside her to try and cheer her up, not wanting to let her wolf starve to death.

"Don't worry, girl," the blue-gray she-cat meowed. "The city's a big place. I bet we can find a place to get something to eat."

Nisa just kept walking and hung her head lower as she looked more depressed. Owlflame rubbed her pet's head again, thinking on where to get something to eat. She remembered seeing a few wild rabbits running away from traffic, and she saw pigeons in the park. She even recalled when Silverheart told her stories about when she, Goldstar, and their friends used to scavenge for real prey when they went on their travels.

So there was only one place to find food at.

**...**

Owlflame sunk her claws deep into the fish and concentrated until fire began to roast the tasty prey; she had caught three fish and was roasting a fourth one. Bending her head low, she took a big bite out of the fish and began eating, the same salty yet delicious taste dancing on her tongue. Just in front of her, Nisa was dipping her head into the water and coming back up with three fish in her jaws.

The two travelers had stopped at the park to see if there was garbage they could eat. When the trash collectors came to take the trash away, Owlflame and Nisa had to find another place. So when they saw some fish leaping out of the pond, they took the chance to get something to eat in there. And so far, things were looking up for them.

But as Owlflame continued eating some of the fish, she heard some rustling in the bushes. When she looked up, she saw who it was: it was a black-&-white tom with messy fur; he was eying her with a grin on his face. Owlflame gasped in shock and got into a defensive battle pose, but he crept towards her carefully, not seeming to want to attack. He seemed to be looking at the fish.

"Say there, miss..." the stray cat meowed as he pointed his paw at the roasting fish. "Mind if I can have one of those fishies?"

"Uh..." Owlflame mewed, thinking it over. "Um...yeah. Sure." She took a fish from the ground and placed it at her paws.

The black-&-white tom purred, waggled up to her with big weird steps, snatched the fish up, and sat down. Then he began wildly devouring the fish typewriter style, smacking his lips loudly. Despite not being one for manners, Owlflame wished he could learn some of his own.

She flicked her tail to the bush and mewed awkwardly, "So...do you live in...that bush?"

"Sure do!" the tom meowed. "It's what I call home. It took me quite a while to make a bush that beautiful, wouldn't you say?"

For some odd reason, the bush started to sparkle.

Owlflame turned away from that to hear the tom meow, "This place is very popular with strays and vagabonds. Like me. But some cats call me Sparkle Sparkle Bush Cat for some odd reason."

"So there's a lot of you out here, huh?" Owlflame guessed. "I thought everyone in this city was 'living it up.'"

"Hey, kiddo, you've got a lot to learn!" the tom purred, taking a very hearty bite out of his fish. "Welcome to United City!"

Owlflame raised a brow at him while hearing this. She hadn't given it that much thought before, but she had never heard of stray cats in United City before.

"You there! Stop!"

The voice followed by a big dog barking made Owlflame look around in shock. Then she saw who it was: a gray tabby cat was stalking towards them with a Twoleg policeman and a big angry German Shepherd dog with him. Owlflame hissed with shock; dogs, unlike wolves to her, were very unpredictable.

"I said stop!" the policeman called. "You're not allowed to fish in there!"

As he ran towards Owlflame, who stayed in her spot, the stray tom jumped up and ran over to his bush. He looked over his shoulder to see Owlflame, who hadn't moved from her spot.

"What the hell you standing there for?" he hissed. "You best vamoose! Hurry!"

He dove under his bush, head-first while Owlflame let out a yowl above the dog's barking. Nisa came running toward her, and she ran a few pawsteps along with her animal guide before pulling herself onto Nisa's back. Ignoring the Twoleg's shout and the dog's barking, she rode off.

The gray tabby and the dog ran after her, blowing a whistle and barking respectively. At last, they reached the spot where Owlflame and the stray tom were sitting moments earlier. He and the dog halted their pursuit, resting and panting heavily. To Owlflame's amusement, the black-&-white stray peeped from the bushes behind him and waved after her.

Owlflame felt a bit better after hanging around with this cat. She hoped he could hang out with him again soon...as long as he didn't bring up his sparkling bush.

**...**

Owlflame felt full from her meal of fish while Nisa let out a very loud burp. They were no longer hungry, for the fish filled their bellies up quite good. Now all they needed to do was to go over to AirClan Island and learn from Sunstar.

But they had not strolled too far from the pond when Owlflame heard a cat yowling. This voice sounded as if it was angry and fighting, yet there was no clawing of fur or a tang scent of blood. When Owlflame steered Nisa towards the sound, they saw it belonged to a ginger tabby tomcat yowling through a microphone and standing before a poster of a white cat with a mask over his face. Twelve cats had already gathered to listen.

"Are you tired of living under the cruelty of Benders? Then join the Equalists!" he yowled. "For too long, the Benders of United City have forced non-Benders to live lives as lower natives...like rats! Join Anubis and we will tear down Bending together!"

Owlflame, who was listening, called out, "What the hell are you meowing about? Bending's the coolest thing ever!" she added with a proud tone.

All the cats listening to the ginger tabby turned to face her. The ginger tabby faced her with an unimpressed glare. "Let me guess. You're a Bender."

"That's right!" Owlflame replied arrogantly.

"Then I bet you'd just _love_ to knock me out with WaterBending, huh?" the ginger tabby mocked her daringly.

Owlflame felt a growl rise in her throat. "I'm _seriously _thinking about it, smartass!"

The ginger tabby glared at her before turning back to the crowd. "You see that, everyone? This is what's wrong with this city! Benders like that cat use Bending only to oppress us!"

At that, the crowd turned to glare at Owlflame and started yowling angrily at her. The Avatar Cat slowly backed away, wondering why these cats would start hating Benders. Goldstar had made sure every cat, whether they be Benders or non-Benders, lived together in peace. But it seemed that this Anubis cat was threatening to ruin that peace.

"But I'm not oppressing anyone!" Owlflame meowed, feeling alarmed. "You're...you're the ones oppressing yourselves!"

"That doesn't make any sense!" the ginger tabby sneered scornfully.

And when the protesting got louder, Owlflame steered Nisa around and fled. What Anubis was preaching was going to hurt the city instead of helping it.

**...**

"Excuse me, but I think I'm lost. How do I get from AirClan Island from here?"

Owlflame and Nisa had been strolling down the sleepy-looking street, looking for directions to AirClan Island. But so far, she couldn't remember where she saw it, and she got more confused by the minute. So Owlflame had to ask a middle-aged Twoleg woman and her gray tomcat for directions to where Sunstar lived. They seemed to be working together at a shop.

The female Twoleg looked down at the blue-gray she-cat and replied, "Just go down this street, and you'll get there."

Owlflame purred and nodded a thank-you before leading Nisa down the street she was told to go on. But along the way, she stopped when she heard a car noise from behind her. Curious, she turned her head around to see what was going on.

"You should get out of here. Quick," the woman whispered to Owlflame. "It isn't safe here."

But before she could leave, the car pulled up to the curb and stopped. It was a long and lean black car with red highlights and silver wheels. The front of the car had a hood ornament of a lion standing on its hind legs.

A Twoleg in a black tuxedo stepped out of the car and opened the back door. Three toms leapt out from the back seat; one was a black-&-gray cat with a scar over his face, the second was a light brown cat, and the third was a ginger cat. By the looks on their faces, they looked like they were nothing but trouble. And in a few seconds, she saw why.

They padded towards a ginger tabby cat who was helping his owner clean some record albums. As they hissed to scare the cat, the black-&-gray cat hissed, "Mr. Wesley, please tell me you have my money, or else I can't guarantee I can protect your fine establishment."

He turned his head toward his orange-furred friend, who lit a flame on the tip of his tail.

"I-I'm sorry, b-b-but business has been slow. P-Please," the ginger tabby mewled, offering the album he was cleaning. "You can take one of my phonographs..."

Without even pulling a sneer, the FireBender effortlessly smacked the object out of the seller's paws with a half-moon spinning fire kick. The fire ended up reducing the phonograph down to a burning pile of rubbish. Mr. Wesley jumped back to avoid the blast, falling to the ground.

"My phonographs!" Mr. Wesley cried.

Owlflame could feel her lips peel back into a snarl. How dare those cats attack this cat and sneer about it? If those cats wanted a fight with someone, they could fight with her!

"I'm sorry, but my friend's a money lover, not a music lover," the black-&-gray tom snarled sarcastically. "You either give me the money or-"

"Or what, thug?"

The three toms turned to see Owlflame facing them, her tail swishing from the left to the right. At the right moment, she had snuck over behind them to give them a scare. But they didn't look scared; they shared questioning looks at one another while the Twoleg and her cat gave them amazed looks. Then...they started to laugh.

"You look like you're fresh off the boat, so let me explain some things to you," the black-&-gray tom meowed. "We're the Triple Threat Trio, and you're in our territory. If you don't get your tail outta here, we'll give you a free visit to the vet!"

Owlflame scoffed while letting her claws slide out and scraped them over the street. "You three are the ones who're gonna need a vet. And I hope there's one nearby just for your sake."

The black-&-gray tom shared another look with his fellow gang members before he snarled at Owlflame, "Who the hell do you think you are?"

"Why don't you come over here and find out?" Owlflame retorted, giving the three cats a very confident smile.

She smirked at the look in the tom's eyes as they twitched angrily. Then...as soon as she had meowed this out loud, they struck.

The black-&-gray tom Bended water claws from a hidden water pouch from under his fur coat and sliced his claws at her. Owlflame easily Bended the water with one paw and sent it back at the gangster, freezing the water over his head. His balance lost, the tom stumbled forth towards Owlflame, who hit him against the head with a spinning kick, due to which he slammed head first against the golden ornament on the car. The ice around his head shattered as he sagged low, the FireBender recoiling with a "that's gotta hurt" look his face.

Then the light brown EarthBender gangster, enraged by what happened to his friend, charged at Owlflame by jumping up. But Owlflame was ready, for she extended the portion of earth where he was going to land on, flinging him high into the air. To the side, the gray tom and his Twoleg owner looked up at this scene, the cat sitting in her lap.

"What just happened?" the woman asked with awe.

"Did she just EarthBend?" the cat added, also full of awe.

The two lowered their gaze as the EarthBender fell on a wire suspended from one building to the other. From the wire, the cat was catapulted again a wooden advertising board, fell down on the pentice of a shop, and was thrown off and into a tapestry, which ripped under his weight. The cat fell down onto a shop display before flopping on the ground where he laid still.

Seeing two of his allies defeated, the ginger FireBender gangster violently Bended a large fire stream at Owlflame. The fire filled up the entire street, but it was parted by a cockily grinning Owlflame. The blue-gray she-cat leaped forward, deflecting the tom's fire by holding two small flames in her paws. As she reached the cat, she pinned his paws down with hers and grabbed his scruff in her jaws. The tom let out a yowl of surprise.

"She can FireBend too?" the woman rasped, grasping her cat's scruff.

"Can she be...?" the gray tom added in awe.

When she had secured her foe's scruff in her grasp, Owlflame began turning the gangster around one time to build up momentum, grunting in the process. Then she threw the tomcat through the window of a clock shop, and two clocks on display ended up getting smashed. Owlflame slowly prowled into the shop to where the ginger tomcat laid defeated.

"Got an idea who I am NOW, suckers?" she purred, chuckling proudly.

Hearing the roaring engine of a car, Owlflame looked to her right. She could see the car coming and tearing down towards her; she leapt aside to avoid being run over. The limo car pulled over at the radio shop where the orange-furred FireBender came stumbling out. The light brown tom was poking his head out the front window and yowling while their Twoleg owner was sitting in the driver's seat. But the Twoleg didn't stop the car.

So the FireBender gangster leapt out of the broken window onto the street, bleeding from the bits of broken glass, and ran after the car. The EarthBender gangster extended the part of earth where he was running, causing him to fly inside the car before they started driving away. Onto the side, the woman and her cat sighed with relief.

Owlflame ran after the car, yowling, "Oh no you don't, you sons of bitches! You're not getting away!"

She Bended an earth fissure at the vehicle, causing it to tumble in the air before falling down and crash into a shop at the other side. Owlflame started running toward them, Nisa going after her owner and barking. She hoped she did a good thing in the city; Sunstar would be proud of her once she got to AirClan Island.

As the smoke started to clear up, Owlflame could see the banged-up car and its gangsters. When Owlflame arrived at the smashed window of the shop, the door of the car flipped open, causing the WaterBender and EarthBender gangsters to fall on the ground. Their Twoleg owner was not harmed, but he sure was knocked out by the crash.

Owlflame felt proud of what she had done. She could imagine cats, dogs, and Twolegs staring at her in awe, seeing their Avatar Cat finally returning. And she could also imagine the look on Goldstar's face if she went to visit him in StarClan.

But suddenly, an alarm sounded from up above. Nisa started howling along with the sound while Owlflame raised her head to look where the sound was coming from. It turned out that the sound was coming from an arriving zeppelin up over her head.

"_Freeze where you are! It's the police!_" a computer sound echoed from the zeppelin.

A hatch opened up on the side before a dark brown tabby MetalBending cop got ready to jump out. Three MetalBending cops leapt out from it right behind him. They started anchoring their metal cables on buildings, securing a safe landing.

"Wow! MetalBenders!" Owlflame gasped in awe. She had heard tales of Nightfoot Bei Fong, one of Goldstar's friends and one of the most powerful EarthBenders in history. Not only that, but she was also the inventor of MetalBending.

While Owlflame looked up to see them land, a fourth cop came down and landed gently. She saw the fourth cop's paws form a downwards position as he retracted the metal cables in his armor. As the gangsters stumbled out of the destroyed store, Owlflame grabbed each of them by the scruff and dragged them out of the store.

Proudly flicking her tail at the gangsters, Owlflame purred, "I caught the bad guys, officers."

The dark brown tabby tom nodded before turning to his fellow officers. "Arrest them."

"Yes, Lynxclaw," one gray tabby meowed.

He and the other cops ran forward and Bended their metal cables to secure the three thugs. Their arms tied to their body, they fell down. In the meantime, an ambulance had arrived, and three tall doctors hauled their knocked-out owner out, getting him into their ambulance.

Owlflame watched with pride as Lynxclaw walked up to her, the three cops taking a gangster each and leading them away. She was sure he would praise her for her hard work and give her some sort of reward. But she was wrong.

"And as for you," Lynxclaw meowed, turning to her, "you're under arrest too."

**...**

_**Commercial Break**_

**...**

"What do you mean I'm under arrest?" Owlflame mewed, stepping back and pointing her tail at the gangsters. "The bad guys are over there! Those assholes were smashing up that shop!"

Lynxclaw flicked his short tail over at the wrecked street, a line split right through the middle, and the broken shop window. "Actually, from the looks of it, YOU wrecked a lot more than that."

He took on a fighting stance and shot a cable to bind Owlflame. However, the Avatar Cat got out of the way and snatched the cable out of the air, holding it back in her jaws. She could feel her muscles strain as she tried to pull back away from him.

Owlflame could feel her claws sink into the street as she grunted, "Wait! You can't arrest me! Just lemme explain!"

"Explain all you like," the dark brown tabby growled, pulling the other way. "While you're down at headquarters."

But he managed to withdraw the cables and charged at Owlflame. He Bended the cables again at her, who ducked low and tumbled backwards. She was just in time to push herself on her feet again as Lynxclaw smashed the ground with his cables where she was just moments before. Nisa growled and came to the defense of her owner, pushing the MetalBender down from behind him. There were more MetalBending cops now, looking shocked and angered at the events occurring in front of them, and rushed forward to arrest the blue-gray warrior.

Owlflame quickly mounted onto Nisa, and they dashed away as the cops arrived just when they gave chase. Nisa turned to the left into an alley while one of the cops launched himself forward as the dire wolf slowed down for the turn. Owlflame sunk her claws into his face and shoved him back, knocking him on the ground. One of the pursuers stayed behind to take care of their fallen and injured friend while the other Bended a cable to bind an overhead wire.

As soon as the cable secured itself, the gray tabby hoisted himself off the ground, blood dripping to the ground. He nimbly landed on one of the overhanging cables and slid over it in hot pursuit of Nisa. He Bended two cables at the running black wolf, but he missed, smashing up the tiles of the street. Nisa went on with dashing through the street, her tongue out of her mouth with her owner hunched over her, as she suddenly turned to the right to another street, narrowly avoiding more cables. Some citizens shrieked at the sight, afraid of a possible attack.

Owlflame and Nisa reached a bridge over a small stream as one of the cops smashed up roof tiles while sliding over it. He leapt off, Bending his cables toward Owlflame, the cables wrapping themselves around her tail. She grunted in pain and angrily Bended water of the river behind her, immediately turning it to ice and creating a wall. The cop, sliding over a cable, was pulled to it, still connected to Owlflame while his target was moving. He let out a yowl, and his expression changed to horror as he saw the icy barrier up ahead. He crashed against the wall at high speed, his cables releasing Owlflame's tail. Gasping, she looked over her shoulder to see the ice slightly cracked where the cop crashed, his shape visible behind the ice. He slowly slid down with a high squeaking sound.

Owlflame looked back, smiling contently as Nisa ran out the street and up some stairs. At the top of the stairs, a truck had to step hard on his break. The truck slipped and halted cross on the road while Nisa kept running as two cops slid over two overhead wires to her left. Owlflame looked at them and jerked her wolf's reins, leading her to the right. A monorail train just passed under the bridge, Nisa leaping off the bridge and landing atop the train. Sliding forward, the animal nearly slipped off, but she managed to remain on the roof.

Owlflame, perched over Nisa, sighed in relief. Sitting upright, she looked over to the right, where AirClan Island was seen in a distance. But a shadow passed over her face, and an alarm sounded out. She looked up to the sky, for the airship of the MetalBending cops hung above. Owlflame straightened the reins with a resolute look upon her face, letting Nisa run forward. As the train turned right, her wolf jumped off toward the roof of an adjacent building.

As soon Nisa touched down, several cables were shot from up above, successfully binding the animal's paws and lifting her in the air. While being suspended, three more cables were Bended down, binding Owlflame to Nisa. The Avatar Cat began struggling to get free while Nisa calmly hung there in defeat. Owlflame growled and bowed her head in defeat also while her pet softly moaned and looked down.

_I don't believe it! _she groaned. _What do I do now?_

**...**

Owlflame had been hauled over to the police headquarters, where a great golden statue stood at the roof. It was a statue of Nightfoot Bei Fong, the founder of the MetalBenders, with a proud yet brave look on the statue's face. She knew that, though the black she-cat had been blind, for she knew her before she died, she was a powerful warrior.

Anyways, Owlflame was tossed into the interrogation room, which was basically a cage like the ones used for holding dogs; the only source of light was a lamp hanging over their heads. The cat who approached her was a dusky brown she-cat with green eyes and scars racing across her right cheek. By the look on the she-cat's face as she read through a clipboard, she was in big trouble indeed.

"Let's see..." the she-cat growled as she read on. "Multiple counts of damage to private and city property... not to mention evading arrest..." She slammed the clipboard on the table and angrily glared at Owlflame, snarling, "You just got yourself into a heap of trouble!"

Owlflame, bound by her neck to the table, followed her movements with a sad look on her face. "But there were three thugs attacking a shopkeeper, and I had to-"

But the she-cat snapped, "Can it, smartass!" Walking calmly to the other side of the table, she went on, "You should have called the police and stayed out of the way."

"But I couldn't just sit by and do nothing. It's my duty to help others." The dusky brown she-cat gently put the notebook on the table as Owlflame smiled. "You see...I'm the Avatar Cat."

"Oh, I know who you are," the she-cat replied, looking unimpressed as she waved her tail about in contempt. Leaning in, she went on, "Your Avatar Cat title might impress some cats...but not me."

Owlflame was surprised, having just realized that not everyone liked the Avatar Cat. But she just decided to just go along with it. So she mewed, "Fine. But I wanna talk to whoever's in charge."

The she-cat sat down at the table across from her and retorted, "You're talking to her. If you want to know my name, then I am Chief Shard Bei Fong."

_Bei Fong? _Owlflame thought with shock. _Isn't Nightfoot's last name Bei Fong? _Out loud, she meowed, "Your last name's Bei Fong? You're Nightfoot's daughter!"

"What of it?" Shard growled.

"So why are you treating me like a stray?" Owlflame asked, amusement in her voice. "I mean, your mom and Goldstar were friends! They even saved the Clans together!"

Shard snapped hostilely, "That's in the past. And it sure has diddly-squat to do with this big hole you dug for yourself! You can't just waltz in here and dispense vigilante justice like you own the whole place."

But before Owlflame could retort, a voice sounded out from the door. A pair of amber eyes had appeared at the peephole, looking over at Shard.

"Chief, Sunstar of AirClan has come," the owner of the eyes said.

Shard gave a sigh as she stood up. "Fine. Let him in."

She kinked her tail over at the door just as it slowly opened. And as soon as part of the brick wall opened, Sunstar padded into the room, looking very disgruntled as if someone had just murdered someone right before him. Owlflame felt ashamed about having to face the AirClan leader and explaining what she had done.

At that, she crept forward, her belly brushing against the floor, as she looked up at his broad face. "Sorry, Sunstar. I, uh...got distracted on my way to see you."

But the look on his face told Owlflame that he had no time for excuses. Ignoring the younger she-cat, he stalked forward until he came face-to-face with Shard, whose green eyes narrowed. Now it was hard to believe their respective father and mother were friends once.

"Greetings, Shard," Sunstar meowed with a smile, trying to sound charming. "May I say that you look just as lovely as ever?"

"Cut the bullshit, Sunstar!" Shard snapped, making him drop the charm. "Why in the name of StarClan is the Avatar Cat here in United City? I thought you were going to move to the South Pole and train her?"

"My relocation has been delayed," the golden tom replied, giving a stern glare at Owlflame, who lowered her head in shame. "The Avatar Cat, on the other paw, will go home right this instant, where she will stay put."

Owlflame stared at him in shock.

But Sunstar gave her another sharp glare as he went on, "If you would be so kind as to drop all charges against Owlflame, I will take full responsibility for today's unfortunate events and cover all damages."

Shard groaned something that wasn't heard, yet she flicked her tail at Owlflame's neck, where the chains got off of her. Then the dusky brown she-cat growled, "All right. Fine. We will drop all charges against her...for now. Now get her out of this city."

"Always a pleasure, Shard," Sunstar replied calmly. To Owlflame, the AirClan leader growled firmly, "Owlflame, let's go."

Owlflame followed him, still cricking her neck and still upset over what had happened. Before they left the office, she and Shard eyed each other with suspicion, their blue eyes and green eyes narrowing. Shard pointed two claws to her eyes and back at her, which Owlflame returned with an exaggerated and mocking mimic. Satisfied with Shard letting out a growl as if to say "that doesn't make sense", the blue-gray she-cat followed Sunstar out the building.

But when the metal wall moved aside again to let the two cats out, worry once again filled up Owlflame's mind. What would happen if Sunstar really sent her back to the Southern WaterClan camp? To where the Order of the Phoenix would once again be watching her like a sea eagle? She didn't want to go back home until she finished her AirBending training, until Sunstar agreed to train her.

_But what if he can't?_

_So wait_

_There's no mountain too great_

_Here these words and have faith_

_Have faith_

**...**

Since Nisa had been held at the local animal shelter, Owlflame and Sunstar went there to pick her up. When they arrived, another elderly woman was already there, holding the end of a leash for her pet Diatryma. The black-feathered monster bird wasn't even an adult yet, but it was just displaying its predatory nature. When it spotted the two cats pad into the shelter, it squawked angrily only to be held back by its owner.

Sunstar had not spoken to Owlflame ever since they left Shad Bei Fong's office. He would not even turn to look around her. Owlflame was worried about what he would be saying to her, but anything he would say would not be good. She tried to find the right words to say as she and the AirClan leader sat down in their seats.

"Sunstar, please," Owlflame began. "Don't send me back."

The golden tom glared at her through narrowed gray eyes. "You deliberately disobeyed me. And what's worse...you deliberately disobeyed the Order of the Phoenix."

**(Author's Note: Don't you just LOVE Lion King references? I know I do!)**

Owlflame tried once again. "But Silverheart said I could come over to United City! She said it was my destiny to finish my training here!"

"Don't bring my mother into this!" Sunstar snarled, supposedly going red in the cheeks. Beside them, the Diatryma (which was creeping towards them) took a few awkward steps back.

"Look, I can't wait any more to finish training," Owlflame mewed while Sunstar began thinking with his eyes closed. "Being cooped up and hidden away from the Clans won't help me become a better Avatar." Thinking over her journey today, she went on calmly, "I saw a lot of the city today, and it's _totally_ out of control. I know why you need to stay here. United City _does_ need you. But it needs me too."

Hearing this, Sunstar tried to respond to her earnest appeal, but it looked like he couldn't quite put the words together. So he lamely looked away. Owlflame feared that this would make him send her straight back to the southern WaterClan.

Upon hearing the sounds of the bars being opened, the two cats turned towards the sound. They could see Nisa strolling out of a cage with a police officer, who was holding her reins.

"Miss, is this your dire wolf?" the Twoleg asked her in a bored voice.

In reply, Nisa sniffed him and licked his face, fashioning his hair into an upstanding swirl. The black-furred wolf panted happily with her tongue out of her mouth.

**...**

_He lives in you (Hela Hey Mamela)_

_He lives in me (Hela Hey Mamela)_

_He watches over (Hela Hey Mamela)_

_Everything we see (Hela Hey Mamela)_

It was night, and a ship was slowly making its way to AirClan Island, where Sunstar would be dropped off and Owlflame would be sent home. Said she-cat was curled up beside her dire wolf as Nisa continued to sleep and possible dream about more fish. But while Owlflame stayed wide awake and worried, she looked over to see if Sunstar was muttering about irresponsible she-cats. But she was wrong.

Instead, the AirClan leader was looking up at the statue of Avatar Cat Goldstar. Sunstar was just sitting on the railing and looking up mournfully at his father's statue; like his mother, he was also apparently not over Goldstar's death. The large golden tom bowed his head before looking over his shoulder to look at the new Avatar Cat. Owlflame was sitting on the rail and sadly watching the city disappear slowly while Nisa slept on.

The had reached the island when the sun has set but the world still held a bit of light in the deep purple of twilight's end. The boat had docked on a pier with electric floor lights. Also docked was a steamer ship, smaller and functional-looking unlike the gilded titanic steamer Owlflame sowed away on earlier. Cats from the Order of the Phoenix were waiting, and they looked very serious. Hearing whooshing air above her head, Owlflame looked up to see two shapes flying towards her. The two shapes turned out to be three kits: Sunstar's kits flying on gliders. It was Foxkit who was riding on Ivykit's back while Plumkit flew by herself.

"Owlflame!" Plumkit and Foxkit cheered as they hurled themselves at Owlflame, hugging her around the neck. Ivykit was a bit more held back, but nonetheless, she also ran forward to give the Avatar Cat a hug.

"Are you gonna live with us?" Plumkit mewled, kneading her paws on the deck.

Owlflame looked down at her sadly as she placed both forepaws on the shoulders of her and her sister. "I'm sorry, Plumkit, but no. I have to go back home."

The gray tabby kit sighed and looked down in disappointment. And a bit farther away, Sunstar was watching the scene with a little bit of compassion in his light gray eyes.

But the time to leave had come. Owlflame gently took Nisa's reins in her jaws and started to lead her animal guide to the waiting boat. The cats from the Order of the Phoenix had come to meet her and escort her back to the boat, but not before Owlflame gave the island one sad look. With that done, she and Nisa started to climb on board, looking down in sadness.

"Wait."

Owlflame turned back around to see the speaker. It was Sunstar, standing before her.

Sunstar sighed and went on, "I have done my best to guide United City to the dream my father had for it, but you're right. It _has_ fallen out of balance ever since he died. I thought putting off your training to uphold his legacy was more important, but you _are_ his legacy." He laid a large forepaw on her shoulder and finished, "You can stay with me on the island, and I will train you in AirBending. United City needs its Avatar Cat once again."

_Into the water (Hela Hey Mamela)_

_Into the truth (Hela Hey Mamela)_

_In your reflection_

_He lives in you_

Those word made Owlflame gasp in joy. She WAS going to train here after all! Leaping up into the air, she yelped, "Yes! Thanks, Sunstar! You're the best!"

"Yay!" the kits squealed. "Thanks, Daddy!"

Owlflame bounded over to the kits and gave them a great big bear hug. With the kits being held in her forelegs, she stepped over to Sunstar and lifted him up as well. Plumkit giggled as Nisa padded up to them, joining in the group hug by putting her head against Owlflame's back.

Then she heard Sunstar sigh. It seemed as if he was thinking about what he got himself into.

**...**

_He lives in you (Hela Hey Mamela)_

_He lives in me (Hela Hey Mamela)_

_He watches over (Hela Hey Mamela)_

_Everything we see (Hela Hey Mamela)_

Finally, the next day, the time to introduce Owlflame to the city had begun. A large crowd of cats, Twolegs, and dogs had gathered in front of the city hall, many taking pictures. Owlflame herself was sitting behind a speech bench with five microphones in front of her, gazing at the gathered mass and feeling overwhelmed.

Beside her, Sunstar was looking proud, as if he was imagining seeing his father speaking to the crowd once again. Shard was sitting beside the large golden tom, but she looked very displeased. Owlflame cleared her throat and leaned forward to speak in the microphones.

_Well...it's now or never._

"Hello?" Owlflame meowed, speaking so loudly that it caused feedback on the microphones. Straightening her voice, she went on, "My name is Owlflame, your new Avatar Cat."

Before she could go on, four Twoleg reporters began asking her questions:

"Does this mean you're moving to United City?"

"Were you sending a message to the Triple Threat Trio yesterday?"

"Will you be fighting crime? Or the anti-Bending revolution? Or both?"

"Are you going to work with Shard and the police force?"

Confused, Owlflame began thinking it over. When she was done, she spoke again, "Well, I AM moving here, but I don't have anything planned yet. You see, I'm still trying to complete all my training." Feeling more confident, she meowed, "Look, all I know is this. Avatar Cat Goldstar meant for this city to be the center of peace and balance in the world, and I know we can make this history a reality. I look forward to serving you!" she finished proudly, raising a forepaw.

The crowd went wild, and all the reporters took photos of her, bathing the scene in bright white light. Cheers of "Owlflame! Owlflame!" reached her ears, but none of that praise was warmer than Sunstar's face, which was full of pride and nostalgia. Only Shard didn't cheer; her look had not changed at all. But that didn't matter.

The new Avatar Cat had come.

_Into the water (Hela Hey Mamela)_

_Into the truth (Hela Hey Mamela)_

_In your reflection_

_He lives in you_

**...**

"Thank you so much, United City! I'm so happy to be here today!"

"All right then, folks! That's all the questions the Avatar Cat-"

_Click._

The black cat watching the large television stepped on the remote with his paw and clicked it. The T.V. went blank as the black tom turned to face his boss, who was studying a map of the city. A purr of dark humor was escaping from the white tom's throat as his cape draped over his lean shoulders.

"How do you wanna handle this, Anubis?" the black tom asked, his eyes glittering behind the goggles.

"So the Avatar Cat has arrived early, eh?" the white tom purred, turning to reveal a red-eyed black mask over his face. "Looks like our plans will have to start early."

_**To be continued...**_

**...**

**Korra: I'm happy we got the first chapter done! And the adventure's just starting! But hey, what took this story so long to update?**

**AvatarCat12: Sorry about that, Korra. It's just the way this series is getting made. You understand, right?**

**Korra: Yeah, sure. So can I say the review and the preview for A Petal In The Wind?**

**AvatarCat12: Sure. Go ahead.**

**Korra: Thanks! (To the readers) You all know the drill! Those who wanna review just press the review button and get a virtual Owlflame plush doll. Flamers will get their flames used as S'Mores makers, nothing more. We DO allow advice and constructive criticism, but don't be too hard about it now!**

**Preview: Owlflame has finally started her AirBending training, but she seems to not get any of it (I know; I did too). So she turns her sights to Pro-Bending, a battle tournament that brings Bending together. Will she learn better from it, or will Sunstar, who hates Pro-Bending, forbid her from witnessing it?**

**Both: See ya next time! And Happy early Easter!**


	3. A Petal In The Wind

**AvatarCat12: I'm back again, everyone!**

**Korra: Lemme guess: you got distracted a lot?**

**AvatarCat12: Yeah. And this chapter...it was kinda hard to write down, thanks to all the Pro-Bending parts.**

**Korra: Hey, don't blame me. I just watched...for the first part. Do you wanna say the disclaimer now, or should I?**

**AvatarCat12: I'll go ahead and say it.**

**Disclaimer: Legend Of Korra and Warrior Cats don't belong to me. They belong to Mike DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, and Erin Hunter. Plus, I have the name Toube on there to honor the Tosa Inu from Ginga Densetsu Weed. And Sunstar's design is based off of the design of Lionheart from SSSWarriorCats on YouTube.**

**Summary: Owlflame has finally started her AirBending training, but she seems to not get any of it. So she turns her sights to Pro-Bending, a battle tournament that brings Bending together. Will she learn better from it, or will Sunstar, who hates Pro-Bending, forbid her from witnessing it?**

**Uploading Date: April 19, 2012**

**Both: Enjoy!**

**...**

_**A Petal In The Wind**_

It was a peaceful morning at AirClan Island, and Ryu was out for his normal flying routine with the other dragons of the island. At the shoreline, many white-tailed hawks were gathering around for a feeding frenzy on fish. But it wasn't just dragons and hawks that lived on the island; black bears, deer, groundhogs, and owls lived in the woods nearby.

Owlflame was busy reading a newspaper while she ate with Sunstar and his family in the temple. She had heard of Pro-Bending when she was an apprentice, and she wanted to watch a match so badly. The young blue-gray cat had never gone to one because she had spent nearly her entire life sheltered by the Order Of The Phoenix. Yet here she was, sitting in a dining room with other cats with the colors orange and yellow on their capes.

"'And, in the final round, the Outland Buzzards won with a decisive knockout!'" she read as she lowered the paper. Excitedly, Owlflame purred to her new mentor, "What do you say we go to the arena tonight and catch a few Pro-Bending matches?"

Sunstar snorted while lapping up some cream. "That 'sport' is pure mockery of noble Bending tradition."

Owlflame groaned loudly, "Come on, Sunstar! I've dreamed about seeing a Pro-Bending match ever since I was a kit! Now I'm just a ferry ride away from the arena," she added, talking about the arena across the bay. "So can we PLEASE go see a match or two?"

"No!" the golden tom rasped. "You are not here to watch that nonsense, Owlflame. You are here to finish your AirBending training." Owlflame let out a disappointed sigh, but Sunstar went on, "So for now, you will have to stay here on the island."

"Is that why you got Phoenix cats here? To keep an eye on me like a hawk?" Owlflame growled, flicking her tail at cats from the Order of the Phoenix.

Sunstar nodded. "Yes. To learn AirBending, you must require a calm and quiet environment, free from distractions."

Owlflame sighed yet again, knowing that there was no arguing with that. So she meowed, "Fine then. You're the master."

She waited until Sunstar turned away from her before looking out the window. Out across the bay and right on the edge of the docks, she could see the golden Pro-Bending arena across the Moon Bay. She wanted to see one Pro-Bending match and see what that was really all about, but Sunstar seemed to hate Pro-Bending.

**...**

Later that day, Owlflame and Sunstar were taking a walk outside under a wooden pathway. A white-tailed hawk flew by as the cats looked to the left, a fish in its talons. Owlflame's short pelt (which was unusual for a WaterClan cat) was now groomed to perfection like an AirClan cat. But she stopped at a pole and rubbed her head against it, rubbing it until her head fur was now messy again. She liked it that way.

Sunstar looked over his shoulder at her, meowing, "My mother told me you haven't been able to AirBend before."

Owlflame hung her head. "Yeah, but I don't know why. The other elements came easily to me, but every _time_ I've tried AirBending..." She stuck out her tongue and made the additional noise. "...nothing."

"That's perfectly alright," the AirClan leader told her, laying a paw on her head and smoothing out her head fur. "Just be patient. The element that's most difficult for the Avatar Cat to master is often the one most opposite to their personality. For my father, it was EarthBending."

The blue-gray she-cat nodded. She recalled hearing tales of how Goldstar had to master all four elements just in a few moons before the end of greenleaf. But since there was no war anymore, Owlflame could master all elements and take her time in the process. Yet the thought of being unable to AirBend bothered her a lot.

"Well, I'm as opposite to being an AirBender as you can get," she mumbled.

She could see a small smile on the golden tom's broad face as he began walking away. "Now let's begin your first lesson."

Owlflame stared after him in disbelief, but she knew it was pointless to argue. Even if she could, there was no way she would get into a fight with Sunstar during her first AirBending lesson. So she ran after Sunstar to catch up with him, who was striding quite quickly.

When they climbed up some more stairs, Owlflame was greeted by a cute scene. Sunstar's three kits were waiting for them at the top of the stairs. Plumkit was jumping up and down, Ivykit was sitting calmly in the middle, and Foxkit was waving a forepaw to them.

"Owlflame's gonna AirBend! Owlflame's gonna AirBend!" Plumkit squealed happily.

The Avatar Cat purred with amusement before looking over to where she was going to train. Just behind the kits was a training place. The ëgatesí were a group of big wooden panels; they were all decorated identically with the AirBending symbol mounted on poles so that they stood up straight.

She turned to Sunstar and asked, "What's that machine?" After that, she looked back at it with amazement and confusion at this machine.

"It is a historic tool that teaches the most fundamental aspect of AirBending," Sunstar explained. Turning his head to Ivykit, he asked her, "Ivykit, would you like to tell her how it works?"

Ivykit nodded and flicked her tail to the machine. "The goal is to twist your way through these gates and make it to the other side without touching them."

"Huh. Sounds easy to me," Owlflame purred, feeling more confident now.

Then Plumkit added, "Ivykit forgot to say that you gotta get through while they're _spinning_."

Sunstar padded up to the gates and took on an AirBending stance. He sat up on his haunches as he twisted and turned his forepaws around. He paused for a moment before elevating his paws above his head, his whiskers twitching. Owlflame watched the gates curiously at the moment Sunstar thrust his paws forward, releasing a burst of air. His semi-long fur flowed in the wind, and the gates start to spin rapidly.

Owlflame watched the wind fly forward to the gates, now all spinning. She turned around to see Sunstar as he serenely held an orange flower petal, the petal held securely in his white teeth. But Owlflame had no idea what the AirClan leader was going to do, but then he released the petal and gently moved it toward the gates with AirBending.

"The key to AirBending is to be like that petal," Sunstar meowed, his gray eyes following the leaf's actions as it reached the gates and started to flow through them. "Flow...with the movement of the gates."

Owlflame merely nodded, letting her gaze follow the petal swirling and twirling, never touching the spinning gates. Finally, it appeared on the other side.

Nodding, Sunstar turned to his kits. "Ivykit? Would you like to demonstrate?"

The light brown she-cat nodded and decisively ran up to the gates, Sunstar following her with his gaze. When she got inside, she started zigzagging her way through the ancient AirBending tool. She was rapidly switching direction each time a spinning panel came near her.

"AirBending is all about spiral movements," Sunstar explained. "When you meet resistance, you must switch direction at a moment's notice. That way, you can avoid beeline attacks at you."

Ivykit was still making her way through the spinning objects. Her paws shuffled as she padded up to the rim of the spinning panels; her amber eyes were narrowed as she shielded them from the strong wind. Finally, Ivykit left through the other side of the AirBending tool.

As the panels were losing speed and started to spin slower, Ivykit turned and blew another gust of wind through the panels, making them spin rapidly again. Owlflame was amazed at seeing a kit possess that much power in AirBending; then again, she looked like she was five and a half moons old.

More confident, Owlflame purred, "All right! Let's do this!"

Bunching her leg muscles together, she leapt decisively runs into the AirBending tool, colliding against the first panel she came across. Being thrown to the side, she slammed right into the next one. She could see Sunstar wincing upon witnessing her hitting every panel she came across.

Owlflame was hit by two other panels, catapulting from panel to panel and tossed out of it on her behind in front of Sunstar and his kits. She scrambled back on her paws, an annoyed and very determined look on her face. She ran back in, narrowly avoiding the first two gates but colliding into the next ones. Outside, she could hear Sunstar's kits calling out to her.

"Remember! Don't force your way through!" Ivykit called.

"Dance! Dance with the wind!" Plumkit squealed, spinning in a circle.

"Be the petal!" Foxkit chanted, doing strange weaving movements with his wings.

Owlflame grinded her teeth together and leapt back among the panels, careful to try and not get knocked around again. But after getting slammed in the face by a panel so hard, she spun around a few times before falling knocked out on the ground before Sunstar. To her dismay, Goldstar's son took a deep breath and shook his head.

This made Owlflame look down at her own paws in shame...and defiance. She was right; she was not as close to AirBending as she could get. But she didn't want to give up. She was the Avatar Cat, and the Avatar Cat would always get this right.

**...**

"AirBend!"

Owlflame thrust her forepaws out in front of her, hoping for something to happen. Even in the dim light, Asian Lung dragons were still flying around in the sky. Owlflame was just practicing and trying to perfect her AirBending, aiming at a newspaper; it had a picture of Shard Bei Fong on it. But so far, nothing happened.

Owlflame growled in frustration. "What is wrong with me? AirBend!" she yowled, repeating the same action with her paws...but to no avail. Nisa growled softly behind her, raising her head to see what all the commotion was about.

The blue-gray she-cat was standing in the same spot, but she quickly lost her patience. Sighing deeply, she unsheathed her claws, letting fire surround them, and leapt at the paper, burning it and the wire it was suspended on with flaming claws.

"Rrrr...StarClan dammit!" she growled, turning back to Nisa. Hugging her dire wolf, she mewed, "I guess I can't be a AirBender, huh?"

Suddenly, her left ear started to twitch at the sound of a radio, curiosity surging up inside her like a flood. Owlflame quickly located the source of the sound; it seemed to hail from a side building on one side of the temple. Cats from the Order of the Phoenix were listening eagerly as they leaned in closer to the radio.

"Ladies and gentlemen! And cats too!" the announcer way saying. "I'm coming to you live from United City's Pro-Bending arena, where tonight, the best fighters continue their quest for a spot in the coming championship tournament. Grab your snacks and grab your kids and pets because this next match is gonna be a doozie of a fight!"

Quietly, Owlflame climbed to the top of the roof above the small lookout post to listen. She steadied herself on top of the roof before settling down and looking towards the golden Pro-Bending building across Moon Bay.

Quite some time later, new names started to make her get interested. She twitched her tail in pure excitement as the match went on.

"This Redblaze has got some moxy! He advances and fires two quick shots. Quickfoot is beaten back to zone three! Clock is winding down, but can Quickfoot...hold on! He's teetering on the edge of the ring now! The Fire Meerkats line up to strike, and-"

_Click._

Suddenly, the light on the radio went out and turned off just on the climax. The expression on Owlflame's face changed from one of utter excitement to horrific disappointment. Growling at that moment, she looked down while hanging upside down to see what was up.

The three Phoenix guards, huddled around the radio, had jumped up and turned around in pure surprise to face Sunstar. It was perhaps him who had done it. The AirBending master tossed the radio plug he unplugged on the ground.

Noticing Owlflame's head peeking upside down from the roof, he called sternly, "Owlflame! Come down here, will you?"

_Oh shit, _Owlflame sighed as she leapt down. Her appearance startled the sentries, who stepped back quickly from her. She landed in between her mentor and the sentries, who were still quite surprised to see her appear.

"Sunstar, why the hell did you turn it off?" Owlflame whined. "It was getting to the best part!"

"Do not use that kind of language on this island," Sunstar meowed firmly. "And I thought I told you to not listen to that sidetracking rubbish."

Owlflame glared at him. "But it's _their_ radio! And you didn't say anything about not _listening_ to a match; you said I couldn't _watch_ one."

Now it was Sunstar who glared at her. "You..." He grunted, recomposing himself for a moment. "You know what I meant! Anyways, shouldn't you...shouldn't you be asleep by now!"

He whipped around without an answer and stalked away, leaving a trail of wind behind him as his tail lightly brushed against her face. Owlflame didn't move; instead, she glared after his retreating form, unable to say anything.

_What is it with Sunstar hating Pro-Bending? _Owlflame thought to herself. She was intensely reminded of a protestor against Bending on the day she arrived at United City. But that cat was preaching against Bending and everything about it. Sunstar, however, was against modern-style Bending and favored the Bending back when his father was still alive.

**...**

The next morning, it was another lesson in AirBending at the base rock of AirClan Island. Ryu, Sunstar's dragon, was flying around, growling softly as he spun in small circles above the small meditating area. Owlflame watched with a sigh as the dragon flew above it one more time and went away.

Sunstar was sitting in front of his kits and Owlflame, all perched on the wooden platform while meditating. Owlflame reached her head around (with her eyes closed) and began licking herself clean, sniffed twice, and eventually opened her eyes. She leaned forward to look over at Ivykit, Foxkit, and Plumkit; all three kits were sitting tranquilly.

Upon seeing this, Owlflame sat up again, taking on the meditating posture again. The floorboard squeaked with every small movement she made.

"I think I'm doing it wrong," she muttered.

Sunstar opened his eyes and replied, "There's nothing _to_ do. Let your mind and spirit be free, for Air is the element of freedom."

Hearing this and recalling last night, Owlflame started to laugh and wave her tail. Sunstar looked over at her, suspicion written on his broad face.

"And what, may I ask, do you find so funny?"

"Right now, you're telling us to embrace freedom, but you won't even let me listen to the radio," Owlflame retorted. "Or even leave the island!"

Sunstar sighed. "Please, Owlflame, be patient. Look at Foxkit. He may be young, but he can meditate peacefully."

Owlflame looked over at his youngest son. The little pale ginger kit was drooling as he snored, a little bubble hanging from the end of his nose.

"Actually, he's asleep now," Owlflame meowed.

"What?" Sunstar peered closely at him before straightening up. "Well...he's got the relaxing part down. That's something."

Owlflame just rolled her blue eyes. "Whatever. None of this mouse-brained stuff is making sense to me."

Sunstar closed his gray eyes and replied, "I know you're upset, but these teachings will sink in soon. Then one day, they'll just click."

Sighing, Owlflame did as he was doing and closed her eyes as well. She took on a meditating posture and a deep breath, trying hard to think. But with all the quietness of the island, there wasn't much for her to do now. She needed to get away from training and find a way over to the Pro-Bending matches.

So she got up and started to walk away, muttering, "Yeah, it's not sinking in. I'm gonna go get something to drink. Like apple juice."

"Come back, Owlflame!" her AirBending mentor called after her sharply. "Your lesson is not over yet!"

But she didn't listen. Yet as she padded away she heard Plumkit mew endearingly, "Daddy, can I have some apple juice too?"

Sunstar looked down at his daughter. "No."

The little gray tabby lowered her head in defeat while Ivykit looked slightly over at her sister. And Foxkit, still asleep, swayed forward before falling backwards, where he continued his nap.

**...**

It was night on AirClan Island, and several Phoenix sentries stood watch before Owlflame's room. Owlflame opened the door to a crack to see a Phoenix member standing below. She waited until the guard below prowled away to his right. The moment he turned, Owlflame leapt out of the window and landed softly in the middle of the courtyard, perhaps on soft moss.

_Phase one is down! Now for the other..._

She hared away, reached the end of the rock the island was built on and leapt off without any hesitation. As she fell down, Owlflame softened the impact of her fall by raising the water with her WaterBending. The blue-gray she-cat elegantly cleaved through the water like a sea otter, keeping her head above the water sometimes to breathe. She had finally done it; she was now heading toward the brightly lit Pro-Bending arena.

_I did it! Pro-Bending, here I come!_

**...**

_**Commercial Break**_

**...**

Owlflame raised her head from the waters at the side of the building. The building rested on a wooden pier out in the bay, connected to the rest of the city by a long boardwalk path. Catching her breath, she looked up to see a series of open windows up above her. Owlflame smiled a bit and spun in the water, creating a spiraling WaterBending funnel that shot her straight through the window to land lightly on her paws. Shaking herself dry, she positively padded away and turned around into a hallway.

As she passed a large room, her curiosity felt peeked. Owlflame back up and looked inside and toward the back of the room; it was a Pro-Bending gym. Among the equipment were punching bags, dumbbell weights, nets, pommel horses, and earth disks. She felt excitement flow through her as she padded inside, going up to the middle of the room. There were all sorts of gizmos and even weights that she could barely lift herself.

_Wow...so this must be the training room!_

"HEY YOU! What the hell're you doin' in here?"

Owlflame leaped back in fright and, when the owner of the voice approached, crouched lower. Standing above her was a massive Tosa Inu dog glaring down at her with grumpy brown eyes as he stalked into the room. He had a few scars on his face, and one of his ears was ripped off.

Lifting herself up from the floor, Owlflame mewed, "Um...I got lost. I had to...um...I had to use the restroom."

Unknowingly to her, another cat spotted them and started grooming its fur.

The Tosa snarled, "Oh, it's the old 'I have to pee' excuse again, now is it? I'm sick and tired of cats and dogs coming into here without paying! I'm calling security right now!"

"No wait!" Owlflame tried to explain, but no words came out.

"There you are! I've been looking for you!" Owlflame and the Tosa turned to see a tom prowling towards them. This was a shaggy-haired tabby tom with bright green eyes and a stumpy tail. The tom went on, with an expressive look at the Tosa, "It's okay, Toube. She's with me."

Owlflame knew right away what this cat was doing, and she was thankful for that. So she played along, "Yeah, I'm with him."

The tabby tom nodded. "Yeah. You see, we're together."

"Well..." Owlflame mewed, blushing a bit at what he said. ""Not together as if we're mates. We're just friends."

"Yep. Just friends," the tabby mewed, kneading his forepaws together. "No, I didn't imply-"

Owlflame smirked. "Oh, you sure implied it," she mewed softly.

The tabby cleared his throat in response.

"I don't care!" Toube barked, stomping away from them and tossing a towel to the floor. "I got work to do!"

Then the huge dog padded off and got to work. Owlflame's eyes followed him as he used his Bending to lift and throw a special dumbbell with spherical cylinders on each end instead of weights.

Turning away, she saw the tabby tom kinking his head away, purring, "Right this way, miss."

"Well, thank you so much, sir!" Owlflame purred back as she followed him out. Once they were outside the gym, she added, "Thanks. I really mean it."

They both purred as they walked on together. When the two cats reached a door, the tabby tom opened it, stepping inside once other cats weren't around. Owlflame had to look around while the tabby tom smiled confidently, letting her go in first.

"So what do you think?" the tabby asked her. "Best seats in the house, huh?"

Owlflame directed her gaze in the same direction as his, her mouth falling open. This must be the entire Pro-Bending arena from inside. All the spots were directed at the playing field, and the stadium was packed with cats, Twolegs, and dogs.

"Wow...unbelievable!" she rasped as the tabby beside her smiled. "This place is more awesome than I thought!"

The tabby nodded. "Yep. Name's Stonetail, by the way."

"Owlflame," the blue-gray she-cat replied back.

"Psst! Stonetail!"

Both cats turned to see who was speaking to them. The speaker was another tom, a tall and quite handsome tom with a reddish ginger pelt, a scar on one flank, and amber eyes. He seemed to be looking at Owlflame with mild disdain, though he was talking to Stonetail. Beside him was a dark gray-&-white tom, who was also getting ready for the match.

"Yeah?" Stonetail asked.

The ginger tom was putting on some red battle gear as he went on, "I told you to stop bringing in your fans before our matches. Get her outta here. This is for real fighters."

Stonetail rolled his green eyes and sighed. "C'mon, Redblaze. All right, look. I kinda promised her she could stay and watch, but great StarClan above, I got a good feeling about this! There's something special about her. I just know it!" Then he turned and padded toward Owlflame, laid his stubby tail on her shoulder, and led her to Redblaze. As the FireBender looked at them, the Avatar Cat smiled.

"I want you to meet my brother," Stonetail meowed. "Redblaze, this here is Owlflame. And Owlflame, this is my brother Redblaze."

"Redblaze?" Owlflame mewed, recalling the match over the radio. Before Redblaze could get to the ring, she mewed, "Wow. I never thought I'd get to meet you. I heard you on the radio, and you sounded like one great cat!"

"Come on, Stonetail," the ginger tom meowed, ignoring her completely as he put his helmet on. "Our match is next. You come on too, Cranefoot."

Owlflame let her ears flatten in dejection as they padded past her. "Okay...I can meet you later. Maybe?"

"Sorry 'bout that there," Stonetail meowed, sounding cheerful rather than angry. "My brother just...wants to get focused before a match." He put on his helmet and tied the strings, meowing, "Okay, I gotta go kick some tail. Wish me luck! Not...that I'll need it."

And as he ran after his brother and the dark gray-&-white tom, Owlflame called back, "Okay! Knock 'em out!"

Suddenly, all the lights went off. A spot directly over the ring was switched on. A skinny Twoleg announcer emerged under loud cheers from the center of the ring, one hand raised. He was holding a microphone.

"Introducing the Fire Meerkats!" he called as a spotlight fell over the Fire Meerkats.

The platform the team was standing on slowly moved toward the edge of the arena. Stonetail and Cranefoot were waving to the fans while Redblaze solemnly stood in the middle. Owlflame could see the three players closely; Stonetail and Cranefoot were the ones smiling and waving. Stonetail had clapped his paws together and waved them from side to side, earning him lots of joyous screaming from the crowd.

One she-cat screamed, "Stonetail! I love you!"

Stonetail's cheeks turned red as Owlflame watched him with amusement. Then there was the sound of a microphone screeching lightly before a voice spoke out. It was the same voice that was announcing the battles.

"The rookie Meerkats came from outta nowhere and made it further than anyone expected this season." The Fire Meerkats took on their place in zone one, the other team already waiting for them. "But tonight, they'll face their toughest test yet, folks."

The two teams crouched low, ready to fight whenever they needed to. And when the bell let out a loud ring...they were off, starting to Bend right away.

"And they're off! The two teams waste no time trying to blast each other out of zone one!" the announcer was shouting.

Stonetail ducked under a flaming claw attack while Redblaze lashed one out himself. Stonetail raised an earth disc with his forepaw and threw it to his gray foe, who destroyed the disc with a quick fire swipe from his paw. He retaliated with two blasts, Cranefoot diving to the ground to avoid it. As he got on his paws again, he pulled up water from the grates holding water before him. The gray-&-white tom used the water to block a fire blast, but he slid back a bit due to the power of the blast.

"Cranefoot is the first to feel the heat of the Hyenadons! He tries to return the favor, but they're too fast for him! But Redblaze is showing off his brand of 'cool under fire' style!"

Cranefoot pulled up more water and blasted it at the other team. The white EarthBending player nimbly turned to his right out of the way of the water. As he landed on his feet again, he raised an earth disc with his tail and flicked it over to Redblaze. The red tom calmly moved out of the way of both the disc and a fire blast. He retaliated with two fire blasts, and then he ducked under an ice claw attack and avoided another earth disc.

Then Redblaze shot a fire blast at the EarthBender foe. The white cat's allies moved up to the front and attacked. Cranefoot and Stonetail countered with a water and fire blast respectively, but they were knocked backwards into zone two. Owlflame was sure she heard Redblaze sigh.

"The Hyenadons score with a walloping one-two combo!"

Quickly, Stonetail and Cranefoot leapt to their feet, ready for battle while Redblaze directed his attention again to his foes. Owlflame lashed her tail around in despair; she really wanted to see the Fire Meerkats win. Redblaze leapt up and spun around in the air, successfully avoiding an earth disc and fire blast. As he landed after flipping away from another fire blast, he was hit in the chest by an earth disc. While the impact of the disc pushed his hind paw over it, the metal grate immediately lit up red, and a horn blew.

"Can the teammate hang on to their zone one land? Ohhh...I guess not!" the announcer called as Redblaze looked sullenly down at the line. "Redblaze is over the line!" As the line before the Hyenadons turned green and Redblaze rejoined his teammates in zone two, the announcer went on, "The Hyenadons get the green light and proceed into Meerkat turf!"

"Go Meerkats!" Owlflame yowled, raising her voice for them to hear. Stonetail looked back at her with an awkward smile while Cranefoot flicked his tail at her. Only Redblaze did not reply.

When the bell rung, the Hyenadon WaterBending player directed a blast at Redblaze. The water was blocked by his brother's earth disc as the ginger tomcat leapt up and retaliated with a fire clawing kick at the WaterBender. But the black-&-brown tom jumped over the fire blast and kicked an earth disc away. However, the earth disc hit Cranefoot in the flank and knocked him back to zone three.

"Looks like Cranefoot's in trouble now! He's in zone three teetering just over the drink!"

Giving a snarl, Redblaze jumped over a quick water blast direct at his paws; the blast traveled on and hit Cranefoot. Another earth disc and water bullet pushed him over the rim, making the dark gray-&-white tom fall in the moat.

"And looks like Cranefoot takes a dip! Don't worry, folks! He'll be back for round two! If the marvelous Bending brothers can hold their ground until round two, that is!"

Redblaze and Stonetail dodged an earth and water attack at the same time. Stonetail raised an earth disc to protect himself against a water blast, but the brown tabby was pushed back to zone three. Redblaze landed in the third zone as well the moment a bell rang out.

"Round one goes to the Golden Shrine Hyenadons!" the announcer called just as the score board at the utmost right sign turned to blue.

As the warriors got to their paws, Redblaze turned to Cranefoot and hissed, "Come on! Pull yourself together!"

The bell rung again. The Hyenadon players were standing in a row, each cat having their element at the ready to attack. Sadly, the Fire Meerkats were being pushed back in the second zone: the line separating zone one and two turns red.

"The Fire Meerkats are pushed backwards into zone two, and the Hyenadons advance!"

The Hyenadon EarthBender tossed a disc at Cranefoot, who blocked it with his ice claws, while Redblaze and Stonetail attacked the other team. Stonetail knocked a earth disc at the other team, aiming at the WaterBender as he attacked. As soon as his water blast left his tail, he was hit in the chest by the earth disc.

Redblaze was firing two fire blasts towards his foes. Beside him, Cranefoot sent two water arcs at the Hyenadons, knocking the white cat to the ground. Stonetail raised and fired an earth disc at the EarthBending player, knocking him back a zone. Finally, the FireBending and WaterBending members were hit back by a fire and water blast respectively.

The bell signaled the end of round two. Redblaze was panting before he donned a serious look again while his teammates cheered.

"The Fire Meerkats insure victory in round two in the closing seconds! It's one each, but it's still anyone's match as we go into the third and final round!"

A bell was struck, and both teams jumped back. The Hyenadon WaterBender raised some water from some grates and aimed at Cranefoot. He tumbled out of the way and quickly ran on to avoid another water blast. Then the dark gray-&-white tom equipped himself with some water as the Hyenadon EarthBender raised a disc. Redblaze destroyed the disc with a fire claw swipe while Cranefoot lashed some water claws out. As Stonetail launched an earth disc, Cranefoot was hit by a water blast and crashed into the brown tabby tom. They were shocked, but the EarthBender from the other team raised and kicked away a disc.

"Cranefoot stumbles, and now he tumbles into his teammate! He and Stonetail better disentangle quick if they don't want to...oh, too late!"

For the two toms were wiped off the field just as the buzzer sounded.

"Great StarClan no!" Owlflame groaned. She had wanted to see the Fire Meerkats win.

"It's up to Redblaze now!" Redblaze ducked his head under a water blasts, avoided a barrage of fire balls, and evaded an earth discs. "He's bobbing and weaving! He's weaving and bobbing! But what's this? He's not hitting back!" As Owlflame sunk her claws into the floor in anxiety, the announcer called, "If Redblaze gets knocked out, the Meerkats' awesome fighting season is over!"

As Redblaze continued to avoid multiple fire blasts, earth discs, and water bullets, the announcer went on, "He's dancing on the edge of the ring, surviving the three on one barrage! It seems his plan is to let the Hyenadons tire themselves out!" The red tom lashed out his fire claws as they vaporized water claws and made contact with the WaterBender Hyenadon, knocking him off the playing field.

"And his plan is working! Frostfang is in the pool!" Redblaze shot multiple fire blasts and kicks, letting the announcer call, "They've got nothing left in the tank, and Redblaze is now on the offensive! It's two on one!" But as the Hyenadon FireBender was knocked back by a fire blast against the back pole of the ropes and fell in the water, it resulted in, "Scratch that! It's now _one_ on one, and it's an earth and fire slugfest! There's so much smoke and dust from the fire...I can't even see where Redblaze is!"

Redblaze and the white-furred EarthBender kept attacking; Redblaze's fire blast destroyed the earth discs in full flight, covering the field in dust. He shot a powerful fire arc in the dust cloud as the white cat was knocked back into his zone three. But when he readied himself, Redblaze emerged from the smoke, claws unsheathed and yowling. He used the momentum of his descend to increase the power of his fire blast and knocked his foe the playing field, hearing a yowl as his foe plunged down into the moat.

"It's a knockout! What a victory of a hat trick, folks!" The score board lit up, showing that the Fire Meerkats won with a knockout." Redblaze pulls off the surprise of the season, winning the match for the Fire Meerkats!"

Owlflame watched on with awe as Redblaze took off his helmet and gazed around while the crowd went wild, his fur turning gold in the spotlight. She couldn't help but admire this cat and his determination to win. And she couldn't help but feel that this was what she wanted to do besides AirBend.

"Yeah! One more win and we're in the championship game!" Stonetail had come back into the locker room, spotting Owlflame. "So Owlflame, what'd ya think? The Stoner's got some moves, huh?"

Forgetting her own strength, Owlflame grabbed his head in her paws and dragged him to her. "What'd I think? What did I _think? _That was awesome!" she yowled, throwing him back.

Giving a playful growl, the tabby tom leapt onto Owlflame and started wrestling with her in a playful way. But a growl made the two cats stop wrestling and look up. Redblaze and Cranefoot were coming back into the locker room, apparently going for each other's throats.

"You did more harm than good out there," Redblaze was growling at him. "You almost cost us the game!"

Cranefoot looked offended. "But we won, didn't we?"

Redblaze scoffed. "Hardly!"

"Get outta my pelt, jackass!" Cranefoot spat, throwing his helmet to the side before leaving the locker room.

"Useless..." Redblaze hissed under his breath.

Owlflame waited until the ginger tom rejoined them before going over to greet him. "You two were awesome out there! Especially you, Mr. Hat Trick!"

Redblaze didn't look at her. Instead, he meowed coldly, "Oh, still here, are you?"

"Oh, still a jerkass, are you?" Owlflame retorted. She could not believe this cat did not even crack a smile or a cheer, along with him ignoring her.

Stonetail looked amused as he let out a low whistle at the last comment. Owlflame purred along with him, feeling that being friends with this cat was easier than she thought. Turning to him, she meowed, "Anyway, I've been absorbed in Bending ever since I was a kit, but I never learned how to move like that! It's like there's a new style here! Mind if you could show me some tricks?"

Stonetail nodded. "Oh yeah!"

"Seriously?" Redblaze groaned, looking over at him. "Right now? C'mon, Stonetail."

"Just ignore him," Stonetail mewed gently to Owlflame. "He can sometimes act like a fox with its tail ripped off." Out loud, he meowed, "Yeah, I could show you the basics." Pensively putting his left paw to his chin, he added, "I just don't know how my EarthBending would translate to your WaterBending, but we'll figure something out," he added cheerfully.

"Won't be a problem to me," Owlflame replied smugly. "I AM an EarthBender."

Stonetail looked at her as if she had turned into a Twoleg before his eyes. Then he stuttered, "I'm sorry, no, no! I didn't mean that! I was just figuring...with your WaterClan pelt and form...that you are...a WaterClan...chick."

Owlflame nodded. "No, you're right. I'm a WaterBender...and a FireBender."

"Hmmm..." A grunt of pure confusion sounded from the tabby's throat. "Okay, I'm confused."

"You're the Avatar Cat, and I'm an idiot," Redblaze sighed, rolling his yellow eyes.

"Yep."

Owlflame felt confident as she saw Stonetail's green eyes widen and rasped, "No...way..." Then he turned to his brother and pointed one paw at Owlflame while covering his mouth with the other and whispering, "_The_ Avatar Cat!"

**...**

"All right then! Lemme see what you can do!"

Owlflame looked down at the small coins laying at her paws. Stonetail had taken her to the gym where she encountered Toube; the Tosa Inu was nowhere to be seen. Redblaze had come along to see them at practice, but he didn't say anything much to them about anything. But now was the time to practice.

So Owlflame raised up a disk into the air with a raised tail and then threw it at a distant net with a swipe, immediately following it with a second attack. Both projectiles hit the netting at about the same spot.

"Wow! That was good, that was! But in a real Pro-Bending match, you'd be a sitting duck." As Owlflame frowned at the comment, Stonetail went on, "Not so erect and flatfooted! Stay light on your paws, up until when you need to dig in and strike. Then...pow, pow!"

He finished with Bending two more coins toward the net in an impressive move. Owlflame was amazed while Stonetail turned to face her with a reassuring grin.

"Okay," Owlflame mewed, looking on in awe. "Let me try that again."

Remembering what she was told, she mimicked the small jumping moves with her paws, making sure to get it right. Then she braced herself with a twist of a back paw and threw a pair of strong swipes that launched two more earth disks.

Stonetail's grin got bigger. "Wow! Nice tuning! You're a natural at this!"

But Redblaze didn't look too impressed. Instead, he muttered, "Not bad."

"What?" Owlflame growled, turning to glare at him. Here he was, just snidely commenting on her skills. Turning to Stonetail, she hissed, "What the hell does it take to get to him?"

"What? I just said 'not bad,'" the red tom retorted. Getting up and ignoring her pout, he groaned, "It's getting late. I think I better hit the sack for the night. You kits have all the fun." Turning to Owlflame, he added, "Oh, and nice meeting you, _Avatar Cat _Owlflame."

Then he padded off, Owlflame mewing with sarcasm, "Yeah. Been a _real_ pleasure, shithead. No offense," she mewed to Stonetail.

"Eh...he's sometimes like this," Stonetail mewed, not looking angry. "Not all the time, though."

If Redblaze had heard Owlflame's comment, he had chosen not to hear it. Instead, he muttered, "See you upstairs, bro" before leaving the gym.

"Wait, you live here? At the Pro-Bending building?" Owlflame mewed with shock. It was really amazing that the two friends she had met today would really live here.

Stonetail nodded. "Yep. We live in the attic. Nothin' fancy, but we get great views! So back to Bending! Try that combo one more time?"

Owlflame nodded to the tabby and successfully kicked two disks in the net again. She had a lot of fun that night, hanging out with new friends like Stonetail...though Redblaze was being a pain in the tail for her. This was much easier to learn than what Sunstar would try and teach her. But she was partly worried about her curfew.

_It's just a curfew! Who cares? It's not like you'll end up sleepy tomorrow morning!_

**...**

But it happened. Owlflame tiredly leapt among the spinning panels, having had tried to sleep that night. But dreams of Pro-Bending kept invading her mind, so she had to practice some fighting moves Stonetail taught her to keep her busy. Owlflame had hoped she would not have to learn AirBending first thing after breakfast, but knowing Sunstar, she would have to.

As soon as Owlflame entered the spinning panels, she was getting knocked around once again. Sunstar and his three kits were watching, but she wished they wouldn't. She was too tired to call out to them and say she was fine.

"Patience, Owlflame! You'll get it soon enough!" Sunstar called.

Owlflame tried to listen, but a swinging panel caught her by surprise and hit her upside the head. Finally losing her temper, she let out a yowl and erupted into a violent FireBending fit, burning and breaking most of the gates off. Sunstar and his kits gawked at her while she stood there, panting and looking around the smoky remains.

Sunstar looked astonished as he mewed, "That was a many-moon-old historic treasure!" His voice rose with frustration as he growled, "What..._what is wrong with you_?"

"There's nothing wrong with me!" Owlflame hissed. "I've practiced a lot just like you taught me, but it isn't sinking in! You were right, and I was wrong! It hasn't clicked!"

"Owlflame, you can't just force it," the golden tom snapped. "If you just listen to me for just..."

"I HAVE been listening to you!" Owlflame snarled with a scream, having never felt angrier in her entire life. "But you know what? Maybe the problem isn't _me_! Maybe it's YOU! And maybe the reason I can't learn AirBending yet is because _you're_ a horrible mentor!"

At that, she turned away from him and stalked away. She could feel the gazes of Sunstar and his kits on her pelt, but she didn't care right now. What she cared about right now was to put a lot of distance between her and the AirClan leader for the moment.

But she heard Foxkit squeal "Yeah, you're a horrible mentor, Daddy!" and run around, growling and supposedly imitating Owlflame's tantrum. Then Owlflame turned her head to see Plumkit and Ivykit run over to their father and hug him.

Part of her felt bad for screaming at Sunstar about her problems, and that part of her wanted to run to him and apologize. But she didn't feel ready; if he kept insisting that there was something wrong with her, she would have to give up AirBending. Owlflame didn't care if he had to tell her that it was important.

_I'm not apologizing until HE does._

**...**

_**Commercial Break**_

**...**

Sunstar quickly licked one forepaw and smoothed it over his head before smoothing it over his mane. Across the table from him, Ivykit was reading a book of Goldstar's adventures, Foxkit was staring around in space, and Plumkit was humming to herself. Dawnfall was away in the kitchen helping one of the few Twolegs on the island prepare for dinner.

Part of him felt bad for losing his patience towards Owlflame, but a part of him told him to get over it. He knew his father was never this stubborn when he learned the elements; his mentors (his mother Silverheart, aunt Nightfoot, and uncle Bearstar) all had patience with him. But as for Owlflame...she seemed to rather head the other way to be difficult instead of willing to learn.

A scent of fruits and mice made the AirClan leader look up to see Dawnfall and the Twoleg carrying trays of food into the room. Dawnfall was balancing a tray of mice on her head while the Twoleg was carrying a bowl of fruit. When the bicolored queen put her tray down, she looked around.

"So is everyone ready for dinner?" When no one spoke, she looked around and meowed, "Wait. Where's Owlflame?"

"I don't know," Sunstar sighed exasperatedly. "Honestly, Dawnfall, I am at my wit's end with that cat! I...I don't know how to get through to her!" He even hung his head as he sighed, "Even my father wasn't this stubborn when HE had to learn the elements! What's wrong with her?"

Dawnfall gently pushed the tray to the center of the table before turning to her mate and licked his ear. "It'll be all right, dear. The best thing you can do for now is to give her some space."

Sunstar groaned as he slowly nodded. Then he turned to his kits and meowed firmly, "You three _must_ promise me that your juvenile years will not be like this!"

Ivykit looked up from her book to reply in a blank tone, "I will make no such promises" before going back to her book.

**...**

Owlflame pushed the door to the locker room open to see Stonetail and Redblaze getting ready for their next fight. Across from them were several other cats, perhaps cats from the team they were going to face: the Terror Birds. But there was no sign of Cranefoot, the other tom from the Fire Meerkats she saw the other day.

However, she saw that Stonetail and Redblaze looked rather worried. So she padded over and greeted them, "Hey, guys. Remember me?" When Stonetail nodded and put on a fake smile, she mewed, "Did I miss the match? Or don't tell me you lost already?"

"We might as well have," Stonetail sighed, looking down at his forepaws.

"It's all Cranefoot's fault!" Redblaze snarled, his lips peeled back to reveal pearly white fangs. "That no-good no-show fucker!"

The door opened, and it was the Twoleg referee who poked his head in to say, "You got two minutes to come out ready or you're disqualified" before leaving.

Redblaze dropped the snarl to sigh. "There goes our prize...and our shot at the tournament."

Feeling sorry for her new friends, Owlflame flicked her tail to the other team and asked, "Why don't you ask those other cats to fill in?"

Stonetail shook his head. "Sorry, but rules are rules. You gotta compete on one team."

_One team? _Owlflame guessed. Then...she remembered that a Bender from each Clan had to team up with two other cats from the two other Clans.

"So what about me?" she asked. "I'm an expert WaterBender, if I do say so myself."

"But you're the Avatar Cat," Stonetail meowed warily. "Won't that be cheating?"

Owlflame shook her head. "If I only WaterBend, they won't call it cheating."

But Redblaze snarled, "No way. I'd rather lose than be made a fool out there by you."

"Wow. Thanks for the vote of confidence," Owlflame retorted, feeling offended. She had no idea what was up with this cat and his pessimism.

Once again, the referee dropped by. "Are you all ready?"

_This is it! _Owlflame thought to herself, feeling giddy. Out loud, she replied, "Yep! We're in!"

"We are?" Redblaze asked. He looked as if she had invited a badger into his den.

"Awesome!" Stonetail cheered, nudging Owlflame happily on the shoulder.

But Redblaze growled, "Now wait a minute! I didn't agree with this!"

"You can thank me later," Owlflame replied, running over to the uniforms to get changed.

Redblaze did not try and get her out like he said he would. Instead, he lowered his head and muttered, "This she-cat is so screwed up!"

**...**

In a matter of minutes, all three cats were lined up together on the Pro-Bending arena, facing their opponents. The Terror Birds were going to be their new foes: a brown-&-white tom, a black-&-tan tom, and a gray tabby tom. Once again, they were surrounded by fans who were screaming and cheering for the Fire Meerkats.

"Looks like the Fire Meerkats have sniffed out a last ditch spare WaterBender," the announcer called. "Now let's see if she's another diamond in the rough like the brothers from the school of hard knocks!"

Owlflame felt pride surge inside her as she heard this. She could be a good fighter like Stonetail and Redblaze. Speaking of Redblaze, the red-orange tom hissed from the corner of his mouth, "Now don't do anything too elaborate or violent. In fact, don't do anything at all. Just try and stay on the ring."

"Got it, boss," Owlflame muttered, rolling her eyes. She finished this by readjusting her slipping helmet.

"Players! Are you ready?"

All six cats nodded. And the bell rang to signal the start of the match.

Right away, Owlflame leapt into action, summoning some water from the grates and slapping the water against the gray tabby. The gray tabby let out a yowl of surprise as he was flung over the side of the arena and into the water. Pleased with this, Owlflame leapt around, cheering her latest feat.

"Woo hoo!" she cheered, running in a circle. "Cat overboard!"

"Fire Meerkat WaterBender penalty!" the referee suddenly called. "Move back a zone!"

Shocked, Owlflame turned to him, asking, "WHAT? Why?"

She heard Redblaze hiss to her, "You're not supposed to knock players over the sides! You only knock them off the back of the ring!"

"Oh...whoops." But she did what she was told anyways and moved backwards.

The bell signaling the game rang again as the announcer started speaking. "And we're back in action after that glitch, but I'm not sure this replacement player knows what she's doing." And as he finished, Owlflame got attacked by an earth coin and tried to return it with WaterBending, but her hind paw slid over the line.

A whistle blew before a shout of "Foul! Over the line! Move back to zone three!" was heard.

Growling at the referee, Owlflame snarled, "Rrrr...I'll show _you _over the line!" She stalked past her new teammates, Redblaze looking furious and Stonetail twitching his whiskers in very mild embarrassment.

"The Terror Birds take round one!" the announcer called. "And the Terror Birds know a rookie player when they see one, but they are now focusing the burden of their Bending on this poor novice!"

Owlflame was getting assaulted by two players at once while only one fought against Redblaze and Stonetail. She could not bear to fight two cats at the same time; it was so unfair! Furiously, she EarthBended two coins beneath her to protect herself. The force of that blow made the attackers back off and head back to their other foes.

But then...the announcer called, "Wait a minute, folks! Did that WaterBender just EarthBend?"

The crowd whispered with shock along with the Terror Birds. Owlflame suddenly realized what she had done and tried to pretend that she didn't EarthBend. But she saw the shocked look on Stonetail's face and Redblaze's irritated snarl. Then the referee blew his whistle once again.

"Foul! I...think."

Owlflame awkwardly let out small giggling as her helmet slipped again. Redblaze sighed while Stonetail tried hard to not look her in the eyes, whistling as he looked away.

_Whoops...again._

**...**

"Pardon me, but has anyone seen Owlflame anywhere? She's not in her nest."

Sunstar had approached the cats from the Order of the Phoenix, who were listening hard to the radio. The AirClan leader supposed they were listening to the drivel they called Pro-Bending again. But there wasn't really that much to stop them; besides, like Owlflame said, it was _their _radio.

Then he heard the voice from the radio shout, "Did I see that right? Hold on, folks, we're waiting for the referee's official call, but...I-I think this replacement player could be...no way! You have gotta be kidding me! She's the Avatar Cat, folks! Avatar Cat Goldstar's successor! Playing in a Pro-Bending match! Can you all believe that?"

A shocked dark tortoiseshell lapping up some cream accidentally spat out her cream at a gray tom. But Sunstar did not really pay attention to that; instead, he felt his fur and thick mane bristle at Owlflame disobeying him. Yet again.

"I'll get her back myself!" he spat, whipping up a gust of air with his tail as he turned around.

**...**

"The Avatar Cat will be allowed to stay in this match as long as she only Bends water!"

Owlflame sighed on the inside when she heard the referee, ignoring the groans from the Terror Birds. The bell rang once again, signaling for the match to continue, yet it didn't turn out too good. As soon as the match continued, Owlflame immediately found herself sieged by all three Terror Bird cats; they were probably angry at her for continuing the match.

"This she-cat may be the Avatar Cat, but she's no Pro-Bender, and the Terror Birds are resolved on using that weakness!" the announcer shouted.

The Terror Birds aimed their attacks only on Owlflame, ignoring Redblaze and Stonetail totally. "They're giving her their best, and her best ain't good enough to stop it!" Then before she knew it, Owlflame's paw slipped on the edge as she fell in the water. "Aaaaand she's in the drink."

Owlflame resurfaced, gasping for breath; this wasn't really how she expected it to be. But when she swam up to the platform and rested her paws on it, a shadow fell over her. It was Sunstar, glowering angrily down at her.

"Oh...hehe...hey, Sunstar," the blue-gray she-cat mewed, climbing out of the water and onto the platform. "I thought you didn't like Pro-Bending?"

"I don't," Sunstar growled as he stepped away to avoid a spray of shaken water. "But once again, you have deliberately disobeyed me and brazenly left the island. The island you were supposed to stay on! Now let's go."

Owlflame had no idea what was up with Sunstar trying to be strict with her all the time. But doing so in front of the fans in the Pro-Bending match was too embarrassing. So she started to turn around and meow, "First, I gotta finish something."

But Sunstar turned her back around and hissed, "I have tried my best to get through to you by being gentle and patient like my mother had done for my father! But the only thing you want to respond to is force! So I shall also resort to force! Now I am ordering you to come back to the island right now!"

"Why? So I can sit and meditate about how I suck at AirBending?" Owlflame spat. "You know what? I think there's a reason I haven't learned it! Because I don't even _need_ it!"

"_What_?" Sunstar's gray eyes widened with fury. "That's preposterous! The Avatar Cat needs to learn ALL four elements, and that includes AirBending! It's not an option!"

Owlflame retorted, flicking her tail towards the Pro-Bending ring, "Well, _this_ is what I need to learn: modern fighting skills!"

Sunstar hissed with fury in every word, "Owlflame, being the Avatar Cat is not about fighting! It's about maintaining peace and harmony among the Clans and StarClan! When will you ever learn this?"

Owlflame backed away from him to the elevator of the arena. "I have to go. I got a match to finish."

As she got on board and went up, Owlflame could see exasperation in Sunstar's gray eyes. She knew he wouldn't understand if he had seen her in Pro-Bending. It just came to show that she was wrong to learn AirBending from him; if Goldstar came to her in her dreams, he would be gentler than his son.

Apparently he had read her mind, for she saw him turn away and stalk quickly for the stairs.

"The Terror Birds win round two! Round three!"

Quickly, the brown-&-white tom used water claws to attack Stonetail, who tried to retaliate with EarthBending, which failed. The FireBender, meanwhile, attacked Redblaze, who attempted to retaliate as unsuccessfully as his brother. And the two opposing Benders drove the brothers into a side of the ring against the railing.

The announcer went on, "The Terror Birds are outta the gate and go after the two Meerkat brothers! They're herded in the corner, wedged in the edge of zone one, and unable to come to the Avatar Cat's rescue! And does she need it!"

The brown-&-white tom kept the brothers in a corner while his fellow players started to attack Owlflame. Unknowingly to her, Sunstar was about to exit the arena, but he looked back before leaving, seeing Owlflame attempt to dodge and block the attacks to little avail and pushed back. The golden tom looked in mild concern as she was driven further back and slapped a paw to his face.

Owlflame reached the edge of the arena, ready to fight until her last breath. She hoped her new mentor was watching her.

"Looks like the Avatar Cat's Pro-Bending debut is going to be cut short! She's been pushed back to zone three and the water's calling her name! It's just a matter of time before..."

Then Owlflame remembered what Sunstar had told her. They were all making beeline attacks at her while ignoring the brothers, making her take the attacks. She recalled the petal in the wind making its way through the panel maze, gentle as it went.

_So Sunstar's been teaching me to do that? Wow...here goes nothing._

So Owlflame took a deep breath, took on a different position, and began to dodge the three foes' attacks. She was doing it in the method expected to surpass the fan obstacles in her AirBending training, quickly moving forward. The crowd gaped at her in awe while the announcer started narrating like crazy.

"Hold the phone and stop the presses! She's still in the game! And she's now moving like a very different player! Now the Terror Birds' strikes only strike air!"

Unknowingly to her, Sunstar gazed on, surprised yet impressed. "Huh. How about that?"

The announcer went on, "The Terror Birds have no juice left, but Redblaze and Stonetail are still in the game, not to mention fresh and juicy!"

Now the Terror Birds faltered with their Bending, unable to do any more and tiring out. Seeing this, Redblaze promptly began attacking them, knocking the gray tabby to the ground. Stonetail and Owlflame quickly joined in, barraging the players and knocking them quickly into the water, one by one.

"Knockout!"

"Woo hoo! Yeah!"

It was Sunstar, jumping up and down, a gleeful look on his face. He pointed his forepaws to the arena and cheered some more. Yet when other cats stared at him in a weird way, the large golden tom recovered his dignity, straightened up, and walked away.

The announcer cheered, "The Fire Meerkats come from behind and steal the victory! What a surprise, folks! The rookies, and the Avatar Cat in tow, have gotten a place in the championship tournament! Amazing!"

Owlflame couldn't believe it. They had won; they had actually won! Redblaze now had a slight smile on his face, the first time she had ever seen him smile in a handsome way, while Stonetail made his signature paw-waving pose. Owlflame sprang forward to cheer with the brown tabby tom just as Redblaze prowled up to them. Respect was now shining in his amber eyes.

"What can I say?" the red tom meowed, sounding repentant. "You sure came alive in that last round. The way you dodged their attacks...Stonetail was right: you _are_ a natural. Good playing with you, Owlflame."

Owlflame smiled back at him. Stonetail kept posing before turning to his brother and the Avatar Cat, smiling at them in return.

"Thanks," Owlflame purred. "But I shouldn't get all the credit. Someone else taught me that."

**...**

Owlflame returned to AirClan Island that night, making sure she had something to eat along the way. She was sure StarClan would understand, even though rule two in the Warrior Code said to feed the Clan before herself. But she was more worried about what Sunstar would say to her. Now she was in for it; she would never leave the island now.

When she got back to the training area, she could see Sunstar supervising workers as they placed new fans in place of the ones that she destroyed. Owlflame approached him, unable to meet his eyes as she lowered herself to the ground.

_I hope he forgives me._

"Sunstar..." Owlflame swallowed, trying to find the right words. "I'm sorry. About everything I said to you. I was angry myself, and I took it out on you."

"I forgive you," Sunstar replied, his tone and face kind as he turned to face her. "But I too owe you an apology. All the time I was trying to teach you patience, I ended up losing mine in the process."

Owlflame looked up at him, thankful that all was forgiven. "So no hard feelings?"

Sunstar shook his head, smiling. "None at all. And by the way, you did really well tonight. You really moved just like an AirBender!" he added, flicking his tail playfully.

"Wait, you stayed to watch?" Owlflame asked, amazed that her mentor would stay after what had happened.

"I did," Sunstar replied. "And even though I still don't like Pro-Bending that much, I believe it will be a perfect teaching tool for you."

The two cats exchanged smiles, past arguments now in the past. Owlflame wished she could introduce Sunstar to Redblaze and Stonetail, but she could in some time. And speaking of that, she had something to tell her AirBending mentor.

So she meowed, "I'll see you tomorrow for AirBending practice, bright and early!" And as she started jogging away, she looked over her shoulder and mewed, "Oh, by the way, I think I kinda joined the Fire Meerkats, and we're playing in the tournament in a moon! See ya tomorrow!"

Owlflame could see Sunstar shake his head, his mane flowing in the cool night breeze. But she couldn't wait for the upcoming match coming up in a moon or so.

**...**

The full moon shone down on Owlflame's pelt, turning it bright silver. She could still see the bright and golden Pro-Bending arena out in the distance across Moon Bay. The cheers from the arena were faint to her, yet she was still able to hear them.

Then her thoughts turned to Redblaze. She admired how tough and resolute the handsome red-orange tom was despite his prickly attitude. Now Owlflame wished she could see him again for a new match...and Stonetail too.

_This is gonna be sweet..._

_**To be continued...**_

**...**

**AvatarCat12: This was one doozy of a chapter to make! And man, it took me quite a while to finish it.**

**Korra: Yeah, Pro-Bending's kinda...detailed. You know with the zones and stuff. Man, that can get annoying!**

**AvatarCat12: You got that right. Would you like to say the review thing and the preview for The Revelation?**

**Korra: Sure! I got nothing much to do at the moment. (To the readers) Those who review this chapter will get virtual figurines of Redblaze and Stonetail, the cat forms of Mako and Bolin. If you're gonna flame, then please don't do it on here. And advice or constructive criticism is allowed.**

**Preview: Owlflame and Redblaze hear of a dangerous group called the Equalists who want to eliminate Bending forever. And when Stonetail goes missing, Owlflame thinks Anubis, the leader of the Equalists, is behind this. So the two cats decide to do one thing they could do: infiltrate their hideout.**

**Both: See ya next time!**


	4. The Revelation

**AvatarCat12: So far, no one's reviewed my stories yet. I'm thinking it's because my stories are starting to become boring.**

**Korra: What? No way! Who'd want to think that, anyways?**

**AvatarCat12: Because I'm a slow updater, you know me.**

**Korra: Maybe. But hey, maybe someone might review a story someday.**

**AvatarCat12: (Smiles at her) Yeah, you could be right. Let's get the disclaimer done with.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing from The Legend Of Korra or Warrior Cats. Bryke and the three Erin Hunters own them. I'm just blending them together for others' enjoyment. And like Avatar Cat: The Last AirClan Cat, some people or cats will have names from Legend Of Korra.**

**Summary: Owlflame and Redblaze hear of a dangerous group called the Equalists who want to eliminate Bending forever. And when Stonetail goes missing, Owlflame thinks Anubis, the leader of the Equalists, is behind this. So the two cats decide to do one thing they could do: infiltrate their hideout.**

**Uploading Date: April 26, 2012**

**Both: Enjoy!**

**...**

_**The Revelation**_

A few days passed ever since Owlflame joined the Fire Meerkats in Pro-Bending. Sunstar had allowed her to participate as long as she did her AirBending training along with that. Redblaze was sure the AirClan leader would have his paws full with her along with his kits.

Right now, all three cats in the Fire Meerkats team were training by tossing a ball around in Toube's gym. Owlflame and Stonetail weren't morning cats, but Redblaze had to get them up sooner or later. If they needed to have a better hold on the path to the championship, then this training would have to be necessary.

"Why the hell are you making me train this early in the morning?" Owlflame muttered as she caught the orange ball. "Mornings are _evil_."

Stonetail shrugged as he caught the ball she threw at him. "We're trainees, so we get the least awesome part in the gym."

"And you're the least experienced when it comes to Bending," Redblaze added, catching the ball thrown at him and tossing it to Owlflame. "If we wanna make it to the championship, we have to get you into shape. Deal with it."

Owlflame gave him a mock glare. "_You _deal with it!" she growled, throwing at him so hard that it caught him in the belly and knocked him down.

Redblaze got back up to his paws, shaking himself and muttering to himself. No matter how he appreciated Owlflame helping them a few nights ago, he still thought the blue-gray Avatar Cat was crazy. They were fixing to get back onto track when a voice rang out behind them.

"There's my little street cats!" It was a large Twoleg with a coat and a bowler hat, walking over to the three cats. Noticing Owlflame, he smiled and patted her on the head, saying, "Good to meet you, Avatar Cat!"

"And you are?" Owlflame muttered, ducking her head away from the hand.

The man tipped his bowler hat and replied, "Butakha! At your service! I run this whole Pro-Bending building." He handed a wad of cash over to Redblaze, who, shocked at the amount, gratefully took it. "Here are your winnings from the last match."

Redblaze was about to put the money away when Butakha said, "Ah ah ah. Not so fast. First, you owe me for the Avatar Cat's new battle gear, gym and tool rentals from last month..." At this, he took a small wad of cash from the pile and started taking more cash. Redblaze was about to put the rest away but Butakha stopped him and took some more and the rest. "...payment on your room, and a personal loan for groceries."

Shocked at this, Redblaze turned to glare at Stonetail. His younger littermate had always been a big eater, more so than Owlflame.

"What?" Stonetail mewing, licking his mouth with his tongue. "I'm a growing cat!"

"One more thing," Butakha went on. "The Fire Meerkats need to raise thirty thousand dollars for the championship pot."

Redblaze looked up from looking at his paws, shocked to hear such a thing. They had no time to raise thirty thousand dollars in a few more days. That would be impossible.

"WHAT?" Stonetail cried again, this time with shock. "Thirty thousand dollars?"

Butakha reached his hand down to rub Redblaze gently on the head "Sorry, kids. You got until the end of the week to come up with the dough, or you're outta the game."

And with that, he walked away.

Redblaze took the time to look down at his white paws, his red-ginger fur bristling with worry. What would happen if he and his brother were thrown out of the tournament and tossed out to the streets? He doubted Toube would let that happen despite his grumpy attitude. And he did not want to let his younger littermate be vulnerable in the streets.

"Hey Owlflame." Stonetail was talking to Owlflame, "You don't happen to have an Avatar Cat bank account flowing with gold, do you?"

Owlflame shook her head. "Nope. I've got nothing. I've been used to other cats caring for me."

"Then I wouldn't say you got nothing," Redblaze snorted, stalking past her.

But by looking at the look on her face, he knew he hadn't meant what he said. Redblaze knew he might have accused the Avatar Cat herself of being a kittypet.

"Sorry," Owlflame mewed, hanging her head. "I didn't mean-"

"Eh...it's okay," Stonetail mewed, giving her a sympathetic look before looking down. "It's just that...we've been on our own and lived in the streets after we lost our parents."

This made Redblaze listen on carefully. He had never gotten over losing his parents when he and Stonetail were kits.

Owlflame looked up to give him a shocked and concerned look. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

Redblaze knew she didn't know, but this wasn't what he was thinking about. Instead, he mewed, "Anyways, how are we gonna raise that money in time?"

No one answered at first. Then Stonetail mewed while holding up Timon, their orange-furred meerkat, "Hey, I got an idea! I got one! I've been training Timon to do circus tricks. Now folks would pay money to see _that_."

"Come on, Stonetail. Get serious. Who would see that?" Redblaze asked his tabby brother. "Just think of any serious ideas."

"...I AM serious," Stonetail mewed, looking down.

Redblaze held his breath, knowing he had hurt his brother's feeling. So he mewed, "I'm sorry I snapped, but you know we have to come up with some plans to get that money in time." At this, he got up and stalked away, muttering, "I'll see if I can think of something. I always do."

But he failed to see the determined look on his brother's face.

**...**

"Come one, come all! See Timon, the fantastic meerkat, as he crosses the Ladder of Peril upside down!"

Stonetail waited for any clapping before he let out a dramatic gasping. Unknowingly to Redblaze and Owlflame, he had gone over to the train station to let Timon use some tricks. They set a very small ladder down in front of the copper statue of Bearstar, one of the founders of United City and the former leader of FireClan. He signaled for Timon to start as he walked across the little bridge just on his forepaws.

"Big finish, little buddy. Stick the landing," Stonetail told Timon.

The red-furred meerkat flipped off and landed on one front paw.

Stonetail cheered as someone dropped a coin in the tin cup, "Ta da! Thank you! Thank you very much, folks! You're too kind! Seriously! You can come back here and put money in this..." But when no one did, he looked down at the coin in the cup. "Okay, that's fine. One penny down, twenty-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine to go."

_Hey, it's better than nothing!_

But at that moment, a red car pulled by the curb and stopped in front of him. When Stonetail looked up at it, the window rolled down, revealing a black cat peering out while his Twoleg sat behind the wheel.

"Hey, Stonetail! That you?" the black cat called out.

"Oh, hey Shady Shade," Stonetail called, his stumpy tail twitching.

The Twoleg opened the car door and began walking towards the train station, talking with a second Twoleg. Shade leapt out the door, closed the door with his head, and padded over to where Stonetail and Timon sat.

"I heard you're a big-time Pro-Bender now," the black cat meowed. "Not bad there."

Stonetail had no idea what to say about that. So he just mewed, "Thanks."

Shade nodded. "So listen. I got an offer of a lifetime for you. Thunderbolt Jolt's looking for some extra muscle. Temporary muscle, to tell you the truth."

But Stonetail lowered his head. The last time Redblaze told him about the Triple Threat Trio, he was told to stay away from them. And he couldn't bother to join up with them now.

"Um...I don't know, Shade," the tabby tom mewed. "Redblaze told me not to talk to anyone from the Triple Threat Trio."

"Damn, man! Your brother ain't the boss of you! It's a little security work. It's nothing crooked," Shade retorted. He tossed a wad of cash into Stonetail's cup, which made him scream and look down at the money in awe with a completely goofy face. "You game?"

**...**

Redblaze panted as he flicked his tail towards a machine, shooting lighting towards it. Other cats around him were doing the same thing, since they all worked at a factory together. Redblaze had learned to direct lightning, thanks to an ancient warrior named Irontail, Bearstar's uncle. Other cats, and few in between, had learned this technique, and it was now used in the work business.

Finally, the whistle that would call work to be done for the day whistled. Redblaze panted as he stepped away from the machine, panting while the other cats marched past. Apart from being a Pro-Bending cat, he had also taken a job at the local power plant. Unlike Twolegs in United City, cats had a harder time searching for work since they were animals, but they managed well. And Redblaze made himself promise to try harder to keep himself and his brother off the streets.

After work, he went over to a local restaurant and picked up some food for him and his brother to eat, recalling his brother's love for chicken nuggets. But restaurants did not let animals in there, due to some Twolegs calling cats "filthy disgusting vermin". So he had to beg outside like a dog until he got a burger, some nuggets, and some fries before going back.

Redblaze came back to the gym, where Toube greeted him with a nod before digging into a fish he caught in the bay. Once he made it to the attic where he and Stonetail lived, he looked around the place.

"Stoner! Where are you? Got you your favorite chicken nuggets!" the red tom called through a mouthful of food bag. He padded over to a couch near the window with the food bag in his jaws and leapt on top of it, laying down.

Once he dragged the burger out of the bag, he called, "Hey, I found a job down at the power plant! They make some decent money!" But as he ate some of the burger, no one answered him or came at the scent of food.

"Stonetail?" he meowed, swallowing his food. "You here, bro?"

Remembering something, he glanced around and looked out the window to see AirClan Island. Redblaze let a small knowing smirk come across his face, knowing the friendship Stonetail had recently gotten with the Avatar Cat.

"I bet Casanova's making a house call," he purred.

**...**

The red tom leapt off the ferry to AirClan Island, landing perfectly on the wooden dock on all four paws. He was sure Stonetail was on the island; he was even sure his brother had already met Goldstar's son, Sunstar. Remembering hearing where Owlflame would train at, he padded up the stairs, greeted a few cats from the Order of the Phoenix, and went on ahead to the training area. And there...he found her.

Owlflame was weaving in and out among spinning panels, her pelt glowing bright silver in the moonlight. She appeared to not touch any panel she came across like he had seen her do at the Pro-Bending match a few nights ago. Two kits, a light brown kit and a longhaired gray tabby kit, were making the panels spin around with AirBending.

_Those must be Sunstar's kits._

"Good! Light on your paws!" the light brown kit was calling.

The gray she-cat made it out of the maze without a scratch, panting as she faced the two she-kits. Remembering what to do, Redblaze cleared his throat and padded towards them.

The kits noticed him coming forward as the light brown kit mewed, "Wow. He looks handsome." Turning to Owlflame, she purred playfully, "Hey Owlflame, is he the tall FireBender who drives you crazy?"

"Does he drive you crazy in a bad way, or does he drive you crazy like you _like_ him?" the gray tabby she-kit added, sounding quite hyper.

Owlflame turned to face Redblaze, who was just watching calmly, before glaring at the two kits in embarrassment. To his mild surprise, she quickly EarthBended them into the air and turned to face Redblaze, clearing her throat.

"Oh...hey, Redblaze," the WaterClan she-cat mewed, her cheeks turning slight pink. Behind her, the two kits landed on the ground on all four paws, giggling.

"You seen Stonetail around here?" Redblaze asked her, not bothering with introductions.

Owlflame rolled her eyes and muttered sarcastically, "Good to see you too. But no, I haven't seen him since practice," she added, her voice serious now. "Did something go wrong?"

Redblaze shook his head. "I have no idea. He has a knack of getting into stupid situations." But as he saw her raise a brow at him, he muttered, "But it's nothing much. See you later."

At that, he turned about and started walking away from her. But pattering pawsteps behind him told him that he was being followed.

"Want me to help you look for him?" Owlflame asked as she strode beside him.

"Thanks, but nah," Redblaze meowed. "I got it."

Owlflame nudged his shoulder with her own. "Hey, cool it, tough guy. We'll take Nisa with us."

Redblaze turned to face her. "Nisa?"

"Yeah. She's my best friend," Owlflame answered. "And she's a great tracker!"

**...**

The two cats had gotten off of AirClan Island with Sunstar's permission before they headed into the city. Right now, they were riding on top of a massive black dire wolf with bright yellow eyes. Redblaze supposed this was the friend Owlflame was talking about.

The atmosphere was murky with the city's color's washed out. A few windows provided light as Owlflame and Redblaze, riding one-behind-the-other on Nisa's back, traveled down the street.

"So your best friend's a dire wolf," he meowed with a teasing tone. "One way or another, that makes perfect sense."

"I'll take that as a compliment, city cat," Owlflame purred, a smile on her face.

They headed over to the train station, where the statue of Bearstar stood tall and proud, a small jet of fire flowing out of the statue's mouth. Redblaze leapt down and began sniffing the area among the crowd of Twolegs. There was a faint smell of cat and meerkat in the crowd; there was no mistaking who that was.

Snorting, Redblaze lifted his head up. "This must be his hangout place."

As Owlflame padded up to join him, something caught Redblaze's interest. A couple of kits who looked like they were apprentices were wrestling with one another near a lamp post, laughing as they did so. A brown stray dog gave them a glare of disdain before getting up from the bench and padding tiredly away. Two of the kits were leaping at each other while a gray kit ran forward just behind one of them, causing the defeated black-&-white kit to trip. All the kits laughed at this, including a brown-&-white kit with spiky fur.

"Hey!" Redblaze called, making the kits stop to look at him. "Any of you seen Stonetail here?"

The brown-&-white kit padded forth and replied, "Perhaps. But my memory got a little...foggy. If you'd like to clear it up..." He raised his tail in a greedy way, kinking towards the taller tom, who sighed. He knew what that meant.

Redblaze reached into the bag on his shoulder, took out some money, and handed it to the kit. Beside him, Owlflame's jaw dropped at what she saw and stared crossly at Gremlin. Ignoring her, Redblaze meowed sarcastically, "Very good, Gremlin. A real pro."

"Thanks," Gremlin mewed in quite an arrogant tone. "But yeah, I've seen him."

"Really?" Redblaze asked. "When."

"Around sunhigh."

Redblaze tilted his head to one side. "What the hell was he doing?"

Gremlin replied, "Doing some kind of ferret performing crap. And then..." He held up his tail again, making Redblaze sigh.

"And then?" he asked, handing the kit some more money.

At this, Gremlin leaned in closer and whispered, "Shady Shade showed up and flashed him some serious cash. The Stoner took off with him in his hot rod."

Redblaze looked down at the kit, shocked. _Why in StarClan's name would Stonetail want to go with the Triple Threat Trio? And why would Shady Shade easily bribe him with money?_

"The Triple Trio? The Scarlet Rains? The Agni Kais?" the kit went on. "All those gangs in the city are muscling up for somethin' big. Now that's all you're getting outta me!"

When he finished, Gremlin raced off to join the other kits to attack a flock of crows around a garbage can.

Owlflame watched them go. "What's he meowing about?"

"Sounds like there's a turf war brewing. And Stonetail's gonna get caught right in the middle."

**...**

_**Commercial Break**_

**...**

Redblaze and Owlflame had gotten onto Nisa again and waited for a train to pass. When it did, Nisa let out a loud bark and raced through the street, her tongue lolling about. A few Twolegs looked on in confusion at two cats riding around on a huge female dire wolf.

"So where do we go from here?" Owlflame asked as they passed over a bridge.

The Triple Threat Trio's control center," Redblaze replied. "I hope Stonetail's there and nothing's gone down yet."

Owlflame's eyes narrowed. "Triple Threat Trio? I beat up those assholes when I got into United City. Why would Stonetail try to get tangled up in-"

But suddenly, Nisa let out a vicious bark as she swerved to the right. Redblaze looked down to see a familiar red animal leaping from left to right. But he couldn't see who it was clear enough. Owlflame tried to yowl at her dire wolf to stop, but Nisa didn't listen.

Finally, the animal slunk under a bench and shivered. Redblaze looked down closely to see what it was...and then he knew.

"It's Timon!"

Hearing this, Owlflame started pulling the reins, pulling her wolf away. "No, Nisa! Timon's a friend, not prey."

Timon slunk out from under the bench, no longer looking frightened. The meerkat and the wolf touched noses, and once both animals were pacified, Timon jumped onto Nisa's back and got onto Redblaze's shoulder, making Redblaze smile. He was sure Stonetail had something to do with Timon roaming the streets, but he couldn't think about it for now.

"We gotta hurry," Redblaze meowed, dropping the smile as Owlflame stirred Nisa around and ran off.

After some more running, they had finally arrived at the Triple Threat Trio headquarters. A dog barked from far away as Redblaze stalked towards the door with Timon still on his shoulders. But despite them arriving at the hideout, there were no cats challenging them when they padded forward.

"Something's not right," Redblaze meowed, sniffing the air. "There's usually brutes posted out front. Let's be cautious, and watch where you keep your paws."

He peered into the door window and signaled with his tail to Owlflame to come forward. Swiftly, Owlflame knocked down the door by tackling it, making Redblaze look over at her in surprise. But he didn't say anything as they sauntered in. Inside, the building was empty, and the furniture was broken.

When they got in, Redblaze called, "Stonetail? You here, bro?"

But then, the two cats heard a truck's engine outside and ran out to find the source of the noise. A four wheeler truck was just pulling away from the building with its back doors open. But as the two cats watched on, Redblaze saw something that made his heart stop on horror.

Two cats were gagged and locked in cages, but one of them was Stonetail, who yowled at the sight of his brother and Owlflame. The other cat was a ginger cat. A masked gray tabby cat looked at them through goggles and closed the doors.

"STONETAIL!"

The two cats started to run after the vehicle, but masked cats on the shoulder of Twolegs riding motorbikes threw green smoke grenades at them. As they rode off, Owlflame and Redblaze kept coughing from the smoke, glaring after them.

"Nisa, come!" Owlflame coughed.

The black female wolf ran forward, and Owlflame leapt onto her. Redblaze did the same thing, and they pursued Stonetail's captors. Redblaze sent a fire blast at the bikers, who swerved to avoid the blasts. Owlflame used her EarthBending to unsettle a biker's path, but the Twoleg landed the jump perfectly. Two bikers stopped and turned back. One cat fired a snaring device to tie up Nisa's legs. Redblaze and Owlflame fell off Nisa, yowling in alarm just in time for the Equalists to catch up.

Owlflame attempted to rake her fire claws at her Equalist foe, but the attacker sailed over with a spinning leap. The Equalist got in close to Owlflame, who once again slashed a sequence of fire-streams at her attacker. The Equalist ducked under the flames and knocked her paw to the side. Owlflame attempted a whirling flaming claw uppercut, but the Equalist dodged to the side. When she landed, she performed a high fire-kick, and the Equalist did a kick of her own and caught Owlflame's leg, twisting her around and exposing her unprotected side. The Equalist hit her up and down her body with a flurry of light claw swipes.

The Avatar Cat was left swaying and gasping by the attack, and the side of her body that was attacked drooped out of control, including the foreleg. She made more aggressive FireBending with a swipe, a sweeping kick, and a jump kick, but the Equalist continued to avoid it all with quick leaps.

Redblaze leapt away from his own flipping opponent as he fought beside Owlflame. The red tom snarled in pain and dragged his foreleg around, blood seeping to the street from being struck. He regained his self-control as his Equalist opponent landed in front of him, and he tried to FireBend in defense, but the Equalist once again dodged and struck up and down Redblaze's body with more jabs.

Owlflame was also being hit on her good side down to her paws. She stumbled away, and her Equalist jumps up and kicked her with both legs, knocking her to the ground right beside a fallen Redblaze. To the side, Nisa, who was still tied up, growled with bared white fangs, bit down on the rope around her paws, and pulled at it.

Redblaze and Owlflame were both still on the ground, reduced to watching with worry as the two Equalists approached, dog-tooth claws unsheathed. The masked attackers ran over and were fixing to strike them down, but just before they could, Nisa came growling and leaping at them. The black she-wolf landed between her friends and the Equalists, barking and chasing the enemy away. Timon leapt off Nisa's saddle and screeched in his own attempt at an intimidating bark.

The two Equalists exchanged looks, then they leapt away and threw more gas cans, covering their escape with green smoke. They emerged from the fake fog on their Twolegs' motorbikes and sped away.

Timon climbed up onto Redblaze's shoulder while Nisa put her head against Owlflame, letting the Avatar Cat grab on and get pulled up to her paws. Once upright, Owlflame tried to do a FireBending swipe, but her movements were awkward and weak.

"I can't Bend," she growled, trying again and failing desperately. "Dammit! I can't Bend!"

"Calm down; it'll wear off," Redblaze reassured her, getting to his paws. "Those cats were chi blockers. They're Anubis' cohorts."

Owlflame looked over at him. "Anubis? That anti-Bending white cat with a mask?"

Redblaze nodded. "Yeah. He's the Equalist leader."

"Well, what do they want with the Triple Threats?" Owlflame asked.

"Whatever it is, it can't be good." Briefly, Redblaze let his claws scrape the street in anger at his brother for fooling around. He was also angry at himself for not looking out for him. "Rrrr...I can't believe Stonetail got himself into this mess!"

He could not believe Stonetail had been so foolish to accept help from the Triple Threat Trio. If he hadn't, he would be safe and away at the Pro-Bending arena attic right now with Timon. And it was all because of money that got him into that mess.

_What the hell am I saying? _I'd_ like to get some money to keep us of the streets. ...if only I just listened to Stonetail's idea..._

"Redblaze." Owlflame had rested her tail on his shoulder. "We'll save your brother, and he'll be okay. I promise."

The red-orange tom sighed, looking down. He hoped what Owlflame was telling him would be right. And if it weren't...he didn't want to think about that; what mattered more than anything was keeping his brother safe.

**...**

The two warrior cats stayed up a bit late until past moonhigh, riding on Nisa and searching the Thunderpaths for Stonetail. Nisa started panting while Timon looked around, his small yet sharp eyes looking tired. Even Redblaze felt tired, even though he didn't want to stop searching for his younger littermate.

Owlflame turned towards Redblaze, her blue eyes also tired. "We've been out all night. There's no sign of him anywhere."

"We've gotta keep looking," Redblaze rasped back. "But where?"

But then, Owlflame suddenly meowed, "I've got an idea!" She pulled at Nisa's reins to start her moving again, Redblaze having no idea what his friend was doing.

Nisa kept running through the city and on the Thunderpath until she reached the United City park, where no one was around at this time of night, but a decorative fountain was running at the center.A barn owl swooped out of a tree and landed on a rat, pinning it down and flying off with the rat in its talons. As they arrived at the fountain, Nisa prowled forward and started lapping up some water. Timon climbed on top of Nisa's head and took a drink too.

Owlflame and Redblaze leapt onto the fountain, Owlflame pointing to a table and meowing, "I ran into an Equalist protestor over there the first time I came to the big city."

"You think they'll know where my brother is?" Redblaze asked her.

"It's our only chance right now," Owlflame replied, shrugging.

For a little bit, the two cats hunted a little bit more and ate their catch before laying down under a tall oak tree. Nisa laid down on her side, her head on her forepaws, while Timon leapt onto her side, burying his face into her belly fur. The two cats sat down together, unknowingly having their tails touch.

Owlflame turned to face Redblaze, her tail wrapped around her forepaws. "So...why is Stonetail running around with the Triple Threat Trio anyway?"

"Well, we...used to work for them in the past," the rogue tom replied, not proud of what he was telling.

"What!" Owlflame screeched, leaping to her paws and disturbing a few foxes. Anger blazed on her face as she snarled, "Are you a criminal now? You bastard!"

Redblaze turned to glare at her. "No! You have no idea what you're talking about. I just ran some stuff for them, that's all! We were urchin orphans out on the street! And I did what I had to do to survive...and protect my brother."

Shame dominated the Avatar Cat's face as she looked away. "I-I'm sorry, Redblaze. I didn't know. It must've been hard."

"It's okay," Redblaze muttered.

There was silence. Then... "Can I ask what happened to your parents?

Redblaze sighed, knowing that she would have to tell his friend the truth sooner or later. So he meowed, "They were assaulted by a FireBender. He killed them right in front of me. My brother and I...we were just four moons old."

"Redblaze..." Owlflame looked over at him consolingly, sympathy in her pretty blue eyes.

"Stonetail's the only family I have left in the world," the FireBender sighed heavily, hugging the scarf he got from his father to him. "If anything happened to him..."

Owlflame responded to his grief by pressing her pelt against his. He returned this by letting her do it, the fresh leaf-fall breeze and a few red leaves circling the two felines. Redblaze rested his muzzle against hers before he felt sleep overtake his eyes, going into a world of dreams.

**...**

"Equality now! Equality now! We want equality now!"

Redblaze woke up irritably at the sound of yelling as he looked up at the sun through the branches of the trees. He and Owlflame were still sleeping on Nisa's side, their pelts brushing together and their heads together after last night. Quickly, they got up and leapt away from each other, yowling in embarrassment.

"Non-Benders of United City!"

Owlflame flicked her tail towards a ginger tabby with a megaphone. There was also a tabby cat handing out flyers. "That's the protestor I was telling you about."

Redblaze nodded and stalked towards the protestor, the blue-gray she-cat behind him. The ginger tabby kept yowling, "Anubis calls you all to action! Take back your city! It's time for the..."

But he stopped and gasped as Owlflame stalked up to the dais. Not using the megaphone, he gasped, "You! It's you again! You cannot silence me, Avatar Cat!" he screeched, using the megaphone and pointing a claw at her.

Owlflame immediately swatted the megaphone out of his forepaws, making the propagandist hop back with a scared yelp. Redblaze was amazed by the strength of that paw swipe.

"Shut the hell up and listen," Owlflame growled. "My friend Stonetail got kidnapped by some chi blockers. Where'd they take him to?"

"I don't what you're talking about," the ginger tabby snapped in reply.

Owlflame snorted. "Oh, I think you do."

Then she extended one foreleg upward, and brought it crashing down in an EarthBending slam. The ground under the Equalists' table popped up, launching the table out of sight and sending the propagandist tumbling backwards. It sent the other Equalist cat running away and scattering the flyers he was giving out.

Leaflets with a picture of Anubis were thrown up into the air and rained down upon the area like the leaves around them. The protestor started to pick the leaflets up, glaring up at the Clan cats with every leaflet he picked up. Redblaze leapt into the air, grabbed a floating one, and landed, opening the leaflet on the ground to read.

"'Witness the Revelation tonight at nine o' clock,'" he read out loud. To the protester, he asked. "What in StarClan is this 'Revelation?'"

"Piss off!" the protestor snarled. "This doesn't concern you!"

Owlflame hissed and pounced on the orange tabby, pinning his neck to the ground. "When a cat with a snooty voice tells us to piss off, it _does _concern us. So spill it or get some reminders."

**(Author's Note: That little reference is from Red Dead Redemption. Thank you, John Marston, but I don't own your game! Rockstar does!)**

The orange tabby hissed, his voice filled with fear, "No one knows what the Revelation is! Even I don't know what happened to that friend of yours! But if he's a Bender or a Clan cat, then I bet he's getting what's coming to him!"

Redblaze stepped forward, helping Owlflame pin him down. "Where's it happening?"

But suddenly, a whistle was blown as a policeman with a Doberman pinscher got to the big fountain. As the dog barked, the Twoleg shouted, "What's going on over there?"

"The Avatar Cat's harassing us! Save me!" the ginger tabby yowled.

"Let's scram," Owlflame muttered, letting his throat go as Redblaze did the same.

Redblaze stopped to pick up some more leaflets before he caught up with Owlflame. Then the two cats leapt onto Nisa and ran off before the policeman and his dog got to them.

**...**

The two cats had stopped at a monorail waiting station, looking at the leaflets as a train passed by. After they had a bite to eat by begging at a restaurant, they looked back over the leaflet they studied. Nisa and Timon were looking over their shoulders, helping their masters read.

Owlflame looked up to meow, "Why didn't the Equalists put a location on these leaflets?"

Redblaze shrugged. "Bet they didn't want just anybody sauntering into their big 'Revelation' or whatever that is. I bet the evidence is hidden on here somehow." He flicked his paw to two leaflets and flipped them over, meowing, "There's four different images here."

"So...it's a puzzle?"

"Yeah. Of a map." Redblaze returned her smile with one of his own as he took four leaflets and compared them to a city map on the wall, showing a red dot at the back of the leaflets. "Bingo. That must be where it's happening."

He tossed a satisfied smile at Owlflame, who returned it with the same thing. They were getting even closer than before at solving this case and getting Stonetail free.

**...**

_**Commercial Break**_

**...**

Redblaze padded around a small factory with a small group of cats walking inside a building. Beside him, Owlflame was shivering not from the coolness of the nightly leaf-fall breeze but from the anxiety of going to the Revelation. They were wearing Twoleg long coats, but that was still not enough to block out the coolness.

"This is the place," Redblaze hissed as he moved forward.

He put on a hat to fit his disguise outfit while Owlflame put on a flapper hat along with Twoleg clothes they had borrowed. As they padded toward the entrance, Owlflame suddenly pressed her pelt against Redblaze's fur and twined her tail around his.

"Owlflame? What in StarClan are you doing?" he hissed with confusion.

"We'll attract less attention this way," the blue-gray she-cat hissed back under her breath.

They arrived at the entrance where a huge mastiff sat at the entrance, keeping guard of the place. When he saw the two cats arrive, he stood up right away and stared them down.

"This is a private event. No one gets in without an invitation," he growled in a deep voice.

Owlflame just mewed, "Invitation?"

This caused the mastiff to look suspiciously at Owlflame and Redblaze. Deciding to get this over with, Redblaze took a leaflet out of the coat pocket and showed it to the huge dog. "You mean this one, right?"

The mastiff looked down at them some more as if he didn't believe them. But finally, he took the leaflet in his jaws, bowed low, and said with a lighter look, "The Revelation awaits, brother and sister."

Owlflame and Redblaze nodded before they padded to the meeting. Once inside, they saw it was mostly dark, and rusty industrial equipment took up much of the initial space. However, as the spies moved deeper into the building, they emerged on a catwalk and looked out over the railing_._ Crowds of cats of every color had gathered around, talking excitedly with one another. _These cats must be supporters of Anubis_, he thought.

"I knew a lot of cats hated Benders, but I've never seen so many gathered together in one place," Redblaze muttered partly to himself. The stage's backdrop sported a large reproduction of the Anubis art from the flyer. To Owlflame, he meowed, "Now keep your eyes out for Stonetail, and once you do, don't him out of your sight."

Owlflame nodded, and they made their way down and into the thick of the crowd. Just then, the spotlights started shining on the stage.

"Please welcome your hero and your savior...Anubis!"

A section of the floor slid open, and from the glaring light below, a platform elevator was raised up. Equalist chi-blockers were lined up at regular intervals across it. Sitting in the center was a white cat with a black Egyptian mask while a black cat with goggles on his face was among the chi-blockers, standing directly to his right. The crowd cheered wildly while Redblaze narrowed his amber eyes, supposing that this cat was Anubis himself.

Anubis lifted his head, letting the light spill down on his mask. Owlflame stayed still, but her eyes wavered in the reflected light. Then the white cat stepped forward to where a microphone has emerged from a stand in the stage floor. He paused to let the crowd continue cheering before holding up a paw and speaking.

"Comrades, I have called you here tonight to hear my words and have faith." His voice sounded like poisoned honey. He took the microphone, causing a bit of feedback before he went on, "My quest for equality began moons ago. When I was just a kitten, my family and I lived on a small farm with Twolegs around. We weren't rich, and none of my family were Benders, not even the Twolegs. This made us easy targets for a FireBender rogue who had always extorted my father. Then one day, he went to fight this cat, but when he did, that FireBender took my family from me...and then my face."

The crowd gasped while Redblaze felt himself bristle at these words. He now realized he had something in common with this cat: both of them had lost their parents to a FireBender. But he knew he would never be like Anubis. He and Owlflame exchanged glances before Anubis continued.

"I've had hide behind a mask ever since to hide the scars within," Anubis continued. "As you all know, the Avatar Cat has lately arrived in United City."

The crowd started booing loudly, hisses and snarls rising in the air. In response, Owlflame sunk low to her belly until she was out of sight. Redblaze looked down at her in concern before he looked up to look around warily.

Anubis went on, "And if she were here, she would tell you that Bending brings balance to the world. But she is wrong. The only thing Bending has brought to the world and to the Clans is suffering. It has caused every war in every era."

A snarl to his right made Redblaze turn to see Owlflame curling her lips back to form a snarl on her face. He knew Bending had not caused the Great War in Goldstar's day; it had been FireClan who had done it.

"But that is about to change," Anubis went on while Owlflame dropped the angry look and gave Redblaze a worried look, which he returned. "I know you are asking, 'What _is_ the Revelation?' You shall get your answer. Since the beginning of time and in the ancient Clans, StarClan has acted as the guardians of our world, and they have spoken to me in a dream. They told me the Avatar Cat has failed us all, and I believe them, for they have failed to change the world for us."

Owlflame snarled again.

"That is why StarClan chose me to usher in a new age of balance. They have granted me a power that will make Equality the truth. The power to take a cat's Bending away. _Forever_."

The audience gasped, and Redblaze saw Owlflame's bright blue eyes widen in pure shock. "Th-That's impossible. There's no way!" she rasped. "Only the Avatar Cat can do that!"

Redblaze nodded. "He's insane." He had heard tales of Avatar Cat Goldstar, the Avatar Cat before Owlflame, using this to defeat Darkstar, Bearstar's father. No one had attempted to try and use this move from StarClan. Until now...

An Equalist cat led a cat bound around the neck and legs by a chain due to a flick of his leader's tail. As the dark ginger tom spat, Anubis went on, "Now how about a show? Please welcome Thunderbolt Jolt. He is the leader of the Triple Threat Trio and one of the most infamous felons in United City."

The crowd booed, but Jolt snarled at them, "Ah, boo yourselves, shitheads!"

Equalist guards led four more tied-up Bending cats onto the stage. And one of those cats made Redblaze's amber eyes widen: Stonetail, who was looking from left to right and looking scared.

"It's Stonetail! Let's go," Owlflame meowed, starting to make her way to the stage.

But fearing that she would reveal her identity, Redblaze pulled her back by the tail and hissed, "We can't fight them all. We gotta be smart about this."

Owlflame gave him an irate glare. "Then hurry up and make a game plan, 'Team Captain.'"

The Equalist guard took the chains off of Jolt as Anubis went on, "Jolt has collected a big fortune by extorting and abusing non-Bending cats. But his reign of terror shall end. However, I am a fair cat, so I will give him one chance to fight to keep his Bending."

When he was free, Jolt was shoved to the opposite side of the stage. But he turned around and snarled "You gonna pay for that, pal!"

He immediately leapt forth and lashed his fire claws at Anubis, who dodged them with eluding leaps that carried him forward. Jolt moved his tail around and summoned lightning, which he shot at Anubis with a leaping thrust. The white tom once again side-leapt the attack and, finally reaching Jolt, grabbed his lightning-spewing tail with one paw and moved it down in a wide arc. Lightning shot wildly, scorching the stage before moving up to play along the stage's scaffolding and spotlights.

Then Anubis plunged his fangs into Jolt's neck, causing the gangster to gasp; Redblaze swore he saw pinkish-red around his muzzle. Anubis extracted the claws on one paw and brought it down on Jolt's head. His dew claw sliced down on Jolt's forehead while his next two claws scraped across at the side of Jolt's head just before the ear. The dark ginger tom's eyes widened, and his irises shrunk. As Owlflame and Redblaze watched on in horror, Jolt's lightning shrank to fizzle harmlessly in the air, turning into plain FireBending, which in turn went out completely.

Finally, Anubis let Jolt go, and the gangster flopped down to the floor of the stage, his forehead bloody. The Equalist leader waited patiently while his foe pushes himself back up to his paws. Jolt tried to slash a fireball at him, but no flame appeared, then he lost his balance and toppled weakly forward to fall back to the stage floor.

"Wha...What the hell did you do to me?" the dark ginger tom rasped, blood dripping from his forehead to the stage.

"I have taken away your Bending. Forever," Anubis simply replied, his voice sounding quite blank.

The audience gasped, but Redblaze turned to see Owlflame watching on in slack-jawed horror. He knew that, as the Avatar Cat, she could Bend all four elements at once. But if Anubis took away her Bending altogether, then she would not prove much to be an Avatar Cat. This made Redblaze even more determined to keep her and Stonetail safe.

"The era of Bending is over!" Anubis roared, raising a forepaw into the air. "A new era of Equality has begun! Revolution!"

The crowd cheered, and the Equalist guard released the second captured Bender. Redblaze could recognize that black cat being pushed forwards: Shady Shade.

Owlflame turned to face him. "Got any ideas?"

Redblaze didn't know what to say to her. But when he saw the machines on the walls around the canisters, he replied, "I think so." Flicking his tail towards the walls, he meowed, "You see those machines, right? I hear they're powered by water and steam. If you get some cover, I can grab Stonetail without any cat seeing. Then we get the Dark Forest outta here."

"Works for me." Then the Avatar Cat touches Redblaze with her tail as he started to walk away. She nudged his head with hers as she mewed, "Good luck, Redblaze."

"You too," Redblaze replied, doing the same thing. When she spun around and made her way through the crowd, Redblaze slunk among the crowd towards the entrance.

**...**

Owlflame padded into a hallway filled with machines, Redblaze's lucky scarf gently touching her side. She hoped Redblaze did well in trying to get to his brother, but she prayed to StarClan that this plan would work. She looked around to make sure no one was watching and headed into a hallway behind a large piece of machinery.

She found a boiler and turned one of the valves with some effort. A gust of steam shot out of a nearby pipe, but that was not enough steam to unleash the plan.

_It's not enough, _Owlflame thought to herself as she started turning another wheel. More steam was coming out, but it wasn't enough to create chaos.

"Hey you."

The blue-gray she-cat spun around in alarm to see who had approached her. It was the huge male mastiff seen at the entrance to the building.

"Is there a problem, brother?" Owlflame asked.

The mastiff stared down at her. "What're you doing back here?"

Owlflame mewed innocently, "I was just...uh...looking for the restroom?" She finished this with a big smile on her face, hoping for the huge dog to fall for it.

But the mastiff curled his lips to reveal sharp yellow fangs dripping in saliva; this was one angry guard dog. Owlflame responded with a hiss as she arched her back, her entire pelt bristling. As the mastiff stepped forward, Owlflame let her eyes narrow. If this dog wanted a fight, he could have one!

Quickly, the large brown dog leapt at Owlflame, but due to his large bulk, he was slower than she. So Owlflame leapt onto his back and started slicing at it with her claws, making him yelp with anger and pain. Then the mastiff rolled down onto his back, nearly crushing Owlflame under him with his huge weight. Before the she-cat could move, he grabbed her by the scruff and threw her at the pipes.

Owlflame sunk to the floor, having had her shoulder cut by a piece of glass. Despite her bleeding shoulder, she was able to stand on her paws and wait for the mastiff to race towards her. At the right time, she leapt up into the air and made him hit the pipes. But as the mastiff slowly got to his paws, Owlflame used Redblaze's scarf to use the big dog's weight against him and thrust him at the machinery. Steam filled the room, and the big brown mastiff limped out of the room with a bleeding back and patches of bare skin.

"Thanks!" Owlflame called after him. "This should be enough."

And as quick as a flash, she stood on her haunches and started Bending the steam into the pipes and into the meeting room.

**...**

Back at the meeting, Redblaze made his way to the front of the crowd while Anubis took away Shady Shade's Bending. Shade was gasping and groaning in pain as he thrashed about in Anubis' grasp. An Equalist guard took the third Bender to face up against Anubis, leaving Stonetail for last. The third Bender shared a scared look with Stonetail before being brought onto the stage.

"Come on, Owlflame," the reddish tom hissed under his breath. "What is taking you so long?"

Back at the demonstration, an Equalist guard untied Stonetail right after Anubis finished taking away the third Bender's Bending. The cheers of the crowd made Redblaze want to lash out at them, but he kept still. Then the white cat turned toward Stonetail, the mask's red eyes looking like they were glowing.

"Um...hello...Anubis, sir," his brother mewled. "I think there's been a big mistake. I gotta get back home...got a job to do..."

Anubis paid no heed to those words and began stalking towards him, his claws unsheathed. But then, an explosion blasted from the back, and the crowd screamed as steam filled the room, the cats fighting their way out of the room. Anubis backed away from the fight, his pelt bristling. Quickly, an Equalist grabbed Stonetail by the throat, but Redblaze leapt onto the stage, grabbed that cat by the throat, and tossed him away.

When this was done, Redblaze called, "Stonetail! You all right?"

"Yes!" Stonetail cheered with joy. "I love you, bro!

He looked like he wanted a hug, but Redblaze merely grabbed him by the scruff and dragged him back into the fog.

The two brothers dashed towards a balcony on the building, where a door opened up spewing the steam out. They leapt out, ran for a ladder on the far side of the balcony, and started climbing down. But while they were still descending, the Deputy leapt out of the open door and spotted them on the ladder. Redblaze looked up to see the black cat take out a metal truncheon and spin them in his jaws so that it was pointing down at the ladder. Then the Deputy pressed the club against the top rung, and they released a burst of electricity that shocked both brothers. They let go and fell, yowling, off the ladder into a wide alley.

The Deputy leapt down after them, striking with his shock baton again as he landed. The two brothers bounded out of the way and take their Pro-Bending stances.

Redblaze slashed at the black cat with a burst of fire, but the Deputy dodged and rushed in at the FireBender. He swung his club at Redblaze, who tried to dodge, but he was still hit and knocked to the ground. Stonetail did a front-flip that shot over a heavy disk of earth, but the Deputy leapt over it. The brown tabby tried again with the same results, but he panicked and raised up an earth wall to protect himself from the approaching Equalist. The Deputy leapt straight over the wall and gave a flurry of electric baton strikes. Stonetail was backed up against his own wall, and the Deputy made him screech and knocked him out with a double-thrust of the electric weapon.

Redblaze, seeing his brother attacked, roared in fury and leapt the wall with a fiery slice, but the Deputy blocked the flame with his baton. Furiously, Redblaze slashed again, but the flames only knocked Stonetail's wall down as the Deputy ran in a circle around his foe. The two cats shared a series of blows, electric versus fire, but the Deputy got an opening and stabbed his baton forward against Redblaze's chest. The red tom screeched and snarled in pain before going down.

"There's no place in the world for you Benders anymore," the black tom started to snarl. "You need to learn your place."

Abruptly, the ground under the Deputy erupted into a slanted slab of EarthBending, flinging him hard against the alley wall. He crashed heavily to the ground, but Redblaze weakly got to his paws to see Owlflame in a Bending stance, backlit with golden light.

"I wouldn't count us out just yet," the blue-gray she-cat retorted while the Deputy fell down. Letting out a whistle, she called, "Nisa! Here, girl!"

Redblaze got up just to his forepaws in time to see Nisa running down a set of stairs at the end of the alley. Owlflame helped him to his feet, and as Equalist chi-blockers came streaming out of the door that the brothers escaped from, the two Benders leapt onto Nisa. Stonetail got up to his paws and looked around wearily, yowling in panic as Nisa ran over him and grabbed his scruff in her jaws. As the dire wolf ran, Stonetail was bounced up and down uncomfortably.

"Nice wolf...I want...to get...on...your back!" Stonetail yelped with every bounce.

"The Avatar Cat," the black-furred Deputy growled, getting up and flicking his tail to the retreating forms. "That's her."

"Let her go."

The Equalists turned to see Anubis sitting on the railing and looking after the Avatar Cat. It was he who had spoken.

The Deputy asked, "But why?"

"She's the perfect messenger to tell everyone in the city of my power."

**...**

Owlflame had helped to escort the brothers back to the Pro-Bending arena, where they collapsed in front of Toube, who had come to see them. Growling about "stupid Equalist cats" and all the trouble they were causing, the large Tosa Inu took them away, grunting thanks to the Avatar Cat. Feeling tired and glad that Stonetail was safe, Owlflame turned to go back to AirClan Island.

Once she got to the island, she ran over to the meditation area, where Sunstar was sitting at. The AirClan leader was talking with members of the Order of the Phoenix, his golden pelt glowing white in the moonlight. But when he saw her over the shoulder of a tortoiseshell she-cat, he leapt down and ran over to greet her.

"Thank StarClan," he panted as he stopped in front of Owlflame. "I was just about to send out a search-&-rescue patrol. Are you all right?" he asked as he saw the dried blood on her shoulder.

Owlflame shook her head. Sunstar's voice got more concerned as he asked her, "Well, what happened? Did you find your friend?"

"Yes, but..." Owlflame tried to find the right words. "I was at an Equalist rally. And I really saw Anubis."

Sunstar looked surprised. "What?"

Owlflame nodded. "Yeah. He can take cats' Bending away. For good."

"That's impossible," Sunstar rasped, his gray eyes widening. "Only the Avatar Cat has possessed that ability. Goldstar himself had used it to defeat Darkstar."

"But I saw him do it," Owlflame mewled earnestly. Inside, she was praying to StarClan that he would listen.

Sunstar's gaze softened. "I believe you. I don't know how Anubis has attained this power, but this means the revolt is more dangerous than ever," he went on, looking out towards United City. "No Bender is safe."

_**To be continued...**_

**...**

**Korra: Your birthday's coming up, Avatar Cat! You excited?**

**AvatarCat12: You bet. A family friend is coming to visit, and we're gonna eat out at a burger joint.**

**Korra: Really? Man, I wish I could go to one. But Tenzin won't let me go yet.**

**AvatarCat12: I know. Just give him some time, and he'll come around. But you wanna say the review thing and the preview for The Night Voice?**

**Korra: But your birthday's coming up.**

**AvatarCat12: I get what you're doing, so I'll do it. (To the readers) If you read and review, then you can get virtual cookie cakes and any ice cream flavor you want. Flames are NOT allowed on here, but constructive criticism or advice is allowed.**

**Preview: After a conference with a rival of Sunstar's, Owlflame joins this rival to get rid of all the Equalists in United City.**

**Both: Enjoy!**


	5. The Night Voices

**AvatarCat12: Sorry it took a long while to upload this. But anyways, a recent review had someone ask me if Owlflame is a descendant of Bluestar.**

**Korra: So is she?**

**AvatarCat12: Yep. Sorry for the spoilers, but she IS descended from Bluestar. So you wanna say the disclaimer, Korra?**

**Korra: Sure!**

**Disclaimer: AvatarCat12 doesn't own The Legend Of Korra or Warrior Cats. Michael DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, and Erin Hunter own them both. Plus, he got another Warrior Cat from the second series onto here by name like Whitestorm, and he got a name from Seeker Bears, which Erin Hunter also owns.  
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**Summary: ****After a conference with a rival of Sunstar's, Owlflame joins this rival to get rid of all the Equalists in United City. But will her secret fear get in her way of her fight against the Equalists? Meanwhile, Redblaze finds a new friend...and seems to like this new friend a lot.**

**Uploading Date: June 26, 2012**

**Both: Enjoy!**

**...**

_**The Night Voices**_

_A sudden crash made Owlflame raise her head up to see what was going on. Then she saw it: a chi blocker cat breaking through the window and two more breaking in through the front door. Owlflame got up and slashed her claws at them and sent fire through the air. The chi blockers leapt around and came at her, but the Avatar Cat blasted two shots of fire to keep them at bay. The chi blockers avoided her attacks while one leapt up in the air to slice at Owlflame's neck, but she blocked the hit with her paw, slicing at the cat's face with her claws._

_But while she was distracted from keeping the two other chi blockers away, the other flipped forth and used chi blocking on her side. Owlflame tried to get up, but the same cat slashed at her head, knocking her to the ground. Fatigued with blood running down her face, Owlflame lifted her head in time to see Anubis walking towards her._

"_After I take your Bending away, you shall be nothing," the white cat growled. Pinning her down with one paw, he raised his other paw and started bringing it down..._

Owlflame awoke up with a scream, gasping for air. It had been hours since her encounter with Anubis and his black-pelted Deputy. She was thankful for Redblaze to stick beside her, but she was also really scared of what would happen next.

As Nisa raised her head to look at her owner, Owlflame looked over the side of her nest and purred, "It's okay, Nisa. I just had a bad dream."

In response, Nisa rested her head on the nest, whimpering kindly. Owlflame gave a small purr and stroked the dire wolf's massive head, making her lick her master on the face.

**...**

Sunstar watched as the United Republic Council cats whispered to one another. After eating breakfast and reassuring Dawnfall that everything would be okay, the AirClan leader had headed to the City Hall where the United Republic Council would always meet. Inside, the representatives would always around a U-shaped table sharing in discussion.

"There's a rogue running loose in our cherished city, threatening to tear it apart," a gray-&-white cat was meowing. "We need to create a task force to find this Anubis and bring him to justice."

"No," Sunstar mewed calmly. "A move that hostile would only drive Benders and non-Benders further apart."

But a middle-aged tabby she-cat from FireClan asked, "I agree with your offer, Hawkfrost, but who would lead such a task force?"

Hawkfrost stood up and bowed his head, which Sunstar believed was a pathetic attempt to win the others' trust. "I would be honored and privileged to accept such a duty."

Sunstar tried to keep calm, but he peeled his lips back to reveal his white fangs as he growled, "Is this another one of your tricks to get more power for yourself?"

"I'm just trying to help," Hawkfrost retorted. "Think back, seven years ago, when United City was in danger from another daring cat named Nanulak." He flicked his fluffy tail at the golden tom and went on, "Your father wasn't afraid to fight _him_ directly."

"That was a different situation!" Sunstar snarled, standing up, furious that this cat was comparing himself to his father. "And how dare you compare yourself to Goldstar!"

But Hawkfrost didn't listen to him. Instead, he went on, "Anubis will not stop with the Bending gangs. He will come for all us Benders in time. Our friends, our families, even our allies. Look for this task force and I will stop Anubis before he strikes our hearts. All in favor?"

The gray-&-white tom raised a forepaw, and the FireClan envoy too raised her paw. After a brief glance, the Southern WaterClan and EarthClan envoys also raises their paws. With that done, the Northern WaterClan cat slammed a gavel down on a platform with a smug smile.

Sunstar had no choice but to sigh at this. There was no stopping this cat, yet he couldn't help but feel that he could. Hawkfrost was going to find himself in trouble for trying to fight Anubis and gain all the glory. At least his father and mother hadn't acted like him.

**...**

_Bo Diddley bought his babe a diamond ring,_

_If that diamond ring don't shine,_

_He gonna take it to a private eye._

_If that private eye can't see,_

_He'd better not take the ring from me._

Later, during the night at AirClan Island, light happy music played on the radio as Owlflame practiced her AirBending. She had promised Sunstar she would train harder with him when she was not busy training with Redblaze and Stonetail. And when Sunstar was busy, Ivykit and Plumkit would help her practice.

Suddenly, the music faded away to static noises. And soon, Anubis' voice was heard, much to Owlflame's shock and horror.

"Good evening, fellow Equalists. This is your leader Anubis speaking," the Equalist leader was saying. "As you've heard already, the Council of United City has just voted to make me public enemy number one. This proves once again that the Bending tyrants of United City will stop at nothing until they crush our revolution. But do not worry, comrades, for they cannot stop us. Our soldiers grow stronger by the day. You no longer have to live in fear, my comrades. The time has come for Benders to know fear."

Owlflame listened to this, pure fright chilling her bones. This cat was proving to be so dangerous and scary that the evil Tigerstar seemed tame next to him. And Anubis was threatening to tear down the paradise Goldstar and Bearstar had made together.

But she couldn't face him. Not now.

**...**

Redblaze leapt over one wooden bench after another, racing towards a streetcar. He was running in a more industrialized part of United City, hoping to find a way to get more money. He threw one end of his scarf over his shoulder and looked up in the direction of a streetcar with cats and even Twolegs walking in it.

The red-orange tom ran toward the streetcar just as a moped was coming down the street. The rider of the moped saw him and quickly tried to stop though still crashing into the rogue warrior. The owner then wheeled the moped over to Redblaze while he picked himself up off the street.

"Oh no!" the she-cat yowled, running towards him. "I'm _so_ sorry! I didn't see you!"

"How the hell could you NOT see me?" Redblaze grumbled, sitting up and rubbing his head. "I mean I was just...jus..."

He stopped as he looked up to see the she-cat in time. This she-cat was _very_ beautiful, for she had a white pelt splashed with calico patches and black head fur. She also had the most beautiful green eyes he had ever seen. And the way she was flipping her head fur back...this was enough to make him stammer.

Trying to get back into focus, Redblaze mewed, "Uh...I was...I...wow. I was..." He tried to clear his throat, but it felt like it kept getting clogged up.

The beautiful she-cat grabbed his scruff gently in her jaws and heaved him to his paws. "Are you okay? Did I hurt you? I'm so sorry I crashed into you. I'm such a mouse-brain."

"Don't worry. I'm fine," Redblaze replied, licking the gravel off his short pelt. "My brother hits me harder than that every day we practice."

But then he saw the she-cat's emerald-green eyes widen with amazement. "Hey, I recognize you. You're Redblaze, right? You play for the Fire Meerkats in Pro-Bending!"

Redblaze nodded. "Yep, that's me."

The she-cat slapped a forepaw to her forepaw, meowing, "This is so embarrassing." She stopped to nod to Redblaze and meow, "By the way, my name is Emerald. Let me make this up to you. So...how about I take you out to dinner? Tomorrow night, eight p.m. at Kong's Cuisine."

She began padding back over to the moped, but Redblaze just hung back. Instead, he looked over at his dirty pelt and muttered, "I'm not groomed enough for a place that stylish."

"I'll take care of it. All you gotta do is show up," Emerald told him, putting her helmet back on. "So it's a date?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess so," Redblaze replied. "See you tomorrow."

Emerald leapt back onto her moped and drove away, taking one brief glance behind her as she gave him a wink.

Redblaze watched her ride away and then grinned widely. He had never been asked out to dinner by another cat before, even so by a she-cat. Of course, Owlflame was another she-cat he liked, but he only liked her as a friend. But as for Emerald...she could probably like him like he liked her already...

**...**

Owlflame wrapped her tail around her paws as she sat at the dinner table with Sunstar's family. After more practice, it was time to eat dinner. On the table were fish, rabbits, birds, and fruit. Before eating, they bowed their heads as Sunstar started a prayer.

"We thank you, StarClan, for this delicious food that feeds our Clan. And we thank you for the prey that has given up its life to feed our Clan. We also thank you for happiness, compassion, and..."

"Am I interrupting?"

Owlflame looked up at the newcomer. It was a gray-&-white tom with the scent of WaterClan on him. She supposed that this cat was one of the cats working with Sunstar in the Council of the Republic Clan.

"This is my home, Hawkfrost," Sunstar replied sharply, standing up to face him. "We're just about to eat dinner."

Hawkfrost's tongue swiped over his upper jaw. "Good, because I am _famished_. Besides, AirClan cats never turn down a hungry guest, correct?"

Sunstar sighed and muttered, "I suppose not."

He took a seat and glanced over at Dawnfall; Owlflame was a bit amused as the pregnant she-cat gave Sunstar a disapproving frown. Her mate shrugged his broad shoulders with an "I can't do anything about it" look.

"So you must be the famous Avatar Cat Owlflame. It is truly an honor to meet you," Hawkfrost meowed, going over to Owlflame and bowing to her. "I am councilman Hawkfrost, envoy from the North Pole."

Owlflame nodded as well in acknowledgment. "Nice to meet you, sir."

Then Plumkit leaned over and mewed, "Why do you have a collar?" She pointed at a sapphire collar around his neck and sniffed the pale gray tom as she meowed, "And why do you smell like a she-cat? You're weird."

Hawkfrost gave the little gray tabby a weird glance. "Well aren't you... expressive?" Turning to Owlflame, he meowed, "I've read all about your adventures in the papers. Infiltrating Anubis' rally? Now that took some guts."

Owlflame was surprised to hear something like this from an authority figure; Shard Bei Fong hadn't greeted her like this. So she mewed, "Thanks. I think you're the first leader in the city to be happy I'm here."

"Well, I can assure you that United City is better off with you arriving here," Hawkfrost replied silkily.

"Enough with the sycophancy," Sunstar commanded. "What in StarClan's name do you want with my apprentice?"

The Northern WaterClan cat flicked his tail towards him. "Patience, Sunstar. I'll get to that." Turning back to Owlflame, he began, "As you may have heard, I am gathering a task force that will strike like an eagle at the heart of the revolution. And I'd like for you to join me."

Owlflame pricked her ears up at the mention of that. "Really?"

Sunstar raised his brows. "What?"

"I need someone to help me attack Anubis out in the open," Hawkfrost went on as if the AirClan leader hadn't interrupted him. "I need someone who is valiant and bold in the face of danger. And _that_ someone is you."

"Join your task force?" Owlflame mewed in surprise. She hadn't thought of that before, but she wasn't prepared to fight Anubis in the open. And if she was, then she would have to do it all on her own.

_Not now..._

So after she lapped up some of the water from her dinner dish, she mewed, "Sorry...but I can't."

**...**

_**Commercial Break**_

**...**

Surprise lit up the faces of Sunstar and Hawkfrost. Dawnfall and her kits didn't really pay that much attention, though Plumkit kept looking at the gray-&-white tom in a weird way. Strange enough, no one commented on this.

Hawkfrost cleared his throat and replied, "I must say I'm rather surprised, Owlflame. I thought you were the kind of cat who'd leap at danger. One who'd jump at the chance to help me lead the charge against Anubis."

"Me too," Sunstar added.

"I came to United City to finish my Avatar Cat training with Sunstar. I just need to focus on that for now," Owlflame explained.

"Which is why this chance is perfect and too hard to miss," Hawkfrost replied. "You'll get on the job experience while performing your Avatar Cat duty for our beloved city."

Sunstar frowned at him. "Owlflame gave you her answer. It's time for you to go."

Hawkfrost stood up, mewing, "Very well." But before turning to leave, he waved his tail towards Owlflame, adding, "But I won't give up on you just yet. You'll hear from me soon, I promise you. It has been a pleasure to meet you, Avatar Cat Owlflame."

Then he padded out of the room, but not before Plumkit called, "Bye-bye, collar cat!"

The gray-&-white tom scowled at the AirClan kit's farewell and grunted in distaste.

Owlflame just looked down at the island finch she was about to eat, no longer hungry. She didn't want to be forced to fight against Anubis too soon unless she was ready. But it seemed to her that Hawkfrost couldn't see that too clearly; she could feel that he wasn't going to back off easily.

But then again...she felt as if she really wasn't ready enough to fight Anubis. Instead, she felt like she had to prove her worth to United City to fight him.

**...**

Redblaze looked up at Kong's Cuisine, staring up in awe. He couldn't help but feel elated at meeting Emerald here, eating out with her and talking. Even though Redblaze had been with a she-cat before, it was only because he was training with Owlflame. He wrapped his scarf more around his neck before thinking of what to say to her.

Then he told himself to stop acting like a moonstruck rabbit. _That's enough. It's just a date you're going to. Hurry up and get in there._

So he had to hold in a sigh at his appearance and walked in, hoping no one would even notice the dirt scent on his pelt. He was greeted soon by a Twoleg waiter, who looked down at the reddish orange cat.

"Welcome to Kong's Cuisine, master Redblaze," the Twoleg greeted him, bowing.

_Master? _Redblaze thought with some amusement. He had never thought he would be called that by anyone. But then again, restaurants like this would usually call someone "master" even if they were not a master. So he followed the Twoleg into a back room to get groomed for the night.

In a back room, the waiter who greeted Redblaze put him down into a tub full of soapy water and began to wash him down. Redblaze didn't like water too much, but since this was just a bath for a date with a she-cat, he had to put up with it. So he made no noise as the Twoleg sprayed the soap off of his fur with a small hose used for a bath.

When Redblaze became dry, the Twoleg started brushing his short red fur and even started to put some fancy cat clothes on his body. Redblaze looked at himself in the mirror in front of him and made a purr of approval; Emerald would surely be impressed by this. So he leapt onto a nearby table, took his red scarf off, and put it around his neck. The server glanced at it and started to pull it off, but Redblaze prevented him from doing so by leaping away.

"The scarf stays," the red tom warned him sternly.

"Very well, sir. This way please," the man said, bowing. He held his arm to the side and then led Redblaze back into the restaurant area.

When they got back, Redblaze noticed Emerald leaping up onto a table before a candle that had the scent of vanilla. He saw that she had been groomed to maximum luxurious, and he saw how gorgeously clad even her tail was. But most of all, her emerald green eyes were shining with friendliness when she saw him approach her.

She called to him, "Hey! You're just in time!" As Redblaze gave her a small smile and leapt onto the table next to her, she meowed, "I'm such a big Pro-Bending fan. I even caught up with all of your matches this season."

"Really?" Redblaze asked, pawing a drink to her. "Wow. In all conscience, I wish you hadn't seen some of them."

"Oh, don't be silly," Emerald purred. "You're amazing. I can't wait to see you, your brother, and the Avatar Cat play in the tournament."

This made Redblaze look away with uneasiness. He shuffled his paws and muttered, "Yeah, well...maybe we can try again next year."

Emerald's green eyes widened. "What do you mean? You made it in, right?"

"It's just not going good for us right now."

"Then tell me," the calico she-cat replied, laying a paw on his. As Redblaze relished in having this happen, she went on, "What's the problem?"

Redblaze looked down at her paw touching his and sighed before looking back up at her. "We don't have enough money to raise up for the championship. So we'll be out of the running."

Emerald gave him a look of sympathy. "Well, that's not fair."

"Pardon me, Ms. Sato."

It was the Twoleg waiter from before, carrying two silver plates with dome lids. He lifted up the lids (one dish being some sort of fish) and said, "Your main course: smoked tuna with tartar sauce and crab cakes on the side."

"Ms. Sato?" Redblaze mewed with shock as the Twoleg left. He had heard of the great Romulus Sato and how he had worked with Twolegs to create the Satomobiles. "Are you somehow related to Romulus Sato, creator of the Satomobile?"

"Yeah," Emerald replied, licking her lips after eating dainty bites from the smoked salmon. "He's my father."

Redblaze's ears pricked up straight away in surprise. "Get outta here!"

Emerald smiled a gorgeous smile as she took a few laps from her drink. "I'm serious. Would you like to meet him?"

"Meet the most successful captain of industry in United City?" Redblaze asked. "Hell yeah."

Emerald blinked slightly at the word he just said, but she gave him a kind smile instead. Inside, Redblaze could feel excitement course through him. First he was on a date with a she-cat, then he had found out she had a famous and rich father.

Things couldn't be better than this.

**...**

Back on AirClan Island, Owlflame looked down in disgust at the blue necklace Hawkfrost had given her. Remembering how Silverheart had still hung onto her deceased mother's necklace, she decided to just bury the necklace Hawkfrost gave her. Ever since she had rejected his offer to join his task force, the gray-&-white tom had sent her many gifts to persuade her some more.

_No way. Not gonna happen._

But then, she heard some whistling from a few fox-lengths in front of her while Nisa, who was laying beside her, lifted up her head to see who it was. It was Stonetail, who had in some way recovered from his traumatizing time as an Equalist prisoner. Timon the fire meerkat was riding on his shoulder like how a white-tailed hawk would ride on Sunstar's broad shoulders. He even appeared to have a rose and a chocolate chip cookie in a bag in his jaws.

"Ra da da da da da da da circus, da da da da da da da da afro circus, afro circus, afro polka dot, polka dot, polka dot afro!" the brown tabby seemed to be singing to himself. Seeing Owlflame, he approached and gave a big "Hello, fellow teammate!"

"Hey, Stonetail," Owlflame mewed back, rubbing Nisa's forehead.

Stonetail purred in reply, "Good to see ya again. I missed you at practice this quarter-moon."

Owlflame chuckled at this, remembering that she should have been practicing with her friend. "Yeah...sorry about that."

"Ah, that's okay," Stonetail replied, a smile still on his face. "We'll probably be out of this here tournament anyways unless some money amazingly drops out of the sky by tomorrow. Anyways, I came by was to give you this. Ta-da!" he added, padding over to her and dropping the cookie in the bag and the rose at her forepaws.

"Wow, thanks," Owlflame mewed with surprise, herding the gifts closer to her chest. She had no idea Stonetail could be so nice to her despite them being friends. "So what're they for?

Stonetail sat down, his long whiskers twitching. "Hmmm...I can't remember now...oh yeah! _Now_ I remember. You saved me and my hide from Anubis!"

Owlflame blushed at this as she shrugged. "Oh, that? Don't worry. It's no big deal."

"No big deal? What the hell do you mean by that? I was utterly freakin' out when he was coming towards me with his creepy mask!" Imitating a zombie, he tried to amusingly imitate the Equalist leader, saying, "He was all, 'I will take away your Bending forevah!' I mean, that was some scary crap. I still can't sleep well."

But Owlflame didn't smile at this; instead, she looked down at her forepaws, unable to speak. This reminded her of her nightmare from a few nights ago. She could recall Anubis stalking towards her, the red eyes on his mask gleaming through the dark like a demon. And the masks from the Equalists...

"Mhmm," she mumbled, nodding slowly.

"Delivery for Avatar Cat Owlflame."

Both cats looked around to see a scrawny elderly brown tom carrying a large basket of items with flowers and setting them next to Owlflame. As the blue-gray she-cat glared down at the gift, the messenger went on, "Hawkfrost sends his compliments and asks you to reevaluate his offer."

"Tell him I said no...and that I haven't changed my mind," Owlflame hissed.

The brown elder merely nodded and scooted away.

"Hey, who's this Hawkfrost punk? Is he bothering you?" Stonetail asked gruffly. Spinning about in a circle, he growled, "I'd like to have a word with him about how he treats a lady!"

Owlflame laughed softly at this, thankful for Stonetail's determination to stick up for his friend. "It's nothing like that. He's just some old jackass who works with Sunstar on the council."

The brown tabby's face became relaxed as he heard this. "Oh, good. Good, yeah. That sounds better. I like that better."

**...**

"What do you think of my little operation here?"

Changing gears were everywhere as a Satomobile was being lifted so workers could examine it in a factory. The factory contained several rows of Satomobiles being worked on. Romulus Sato and his daughter stood side by side while Redblaze sat in front of them as he talked to them about his situation.

It was just one day after their date as Redblaze and Emerald made their way to the Sato factory. There, they were greeted by Romulus Sato himself, a ginger tom with black spots around his friendly green eyes, as he took them on a tour through the factory. After that, Romulus had asked him this question.

"It's very impressive, sir," Redblaze sighed, looking around.

"Please, just call me Romulus," the ginger tom purred. "So from what I heard, I understand you must be dirt poor."

Redblaze didn't say anything about that. Instead, he looked away in shame, having no idea that this was where it was all going.

Romulus had seen the look on his face, for he purred, "Oh, don't worry. This is nothing to be ashamed of. I too came from humble beginnings. Why, when I was your age, I was just a mere mouser on a Twoleg farm, and all I had was an idea: the Satomobile. Now I was lucky enough to meet someone who believed in my work ethic. He gave me the money I needed to get my idea up and running, and I built the Future Productions empire from that one selfless mortgage."

Now Redblaze was amazed again. He and Stonetail had never got a lot of money for anything, not even in their Pro-Bending matches. But this cat...he had become very wealthy successful all by himself...with some help along the way.

"Stop bragging, Dad," Emerald scolded lightly, purring. "Just tell Redblaze the good news."

Her father chuckled in reply, making Redblaze ask, "What good news?"

"Well, my daughter keenly told me all of your great success in the Pro-Bending arena," Romulus replied. "And about your team's current financial mess. I hate to see you three lose your chance at winning the competition just because you're short a few dollars. That's why I'll sponsor the Fire Meerkats in the tournament."

Hearing this, Redblaze's ears pricked up as he gaped at the ginger cat. "You serious?"

Emerald nodded. "Yeah, he's serious. My dad's gonna cover your payment for the championship pot."

"Wow..." The red-ginger tom shook his head as if to get rid of a fly, but the excitement was still there. "Tha-that IS good news!"

"There's just one catch," Romulus added, making the two stop. "You and your teammates will have to wear the Future Productions badge on your uniforms."

Redblaze puffed his chest out and purred, "I'll paint it on my chest if you want, sir!" As father and daughter laughed at this, he dipped his head to them and meowed with you, "Thank you both so much. I promise the Fire Meerkats will make the most of this chance!"

The two cats purred while Emerald leaned forward to lick him on the face, making him blush. Redblaze could not believe his turn of luck: first he and his teammates were going to somehow be kicked out of the tournament, and now his team was going to be sponsored. He could not wait to tell Owlflame and Stonetail about this.

_Goodbye, rags! Hello, good life!_

**...**

Back on AirClan Island, Sunstar padded through the forest path down towards the training area. He was holding a freshly caught mouse in his jaws, hoping to cheer Owlflame up after what had happened. Sunstar did not care how many times Hawkfrost tried to make his apprentice join his task force, but she had already made up her decision.

But then, he noticed he had padded past a luxurious blue Satomobile wrapped in a pink ribbon. Little squeaks from it told Sunstar that his kits were playing around on it. Sunstar merely shook his head at this, but it wasn't because his kits were playing on a monster.

_Another gift from Hawkfrost?_

"Outta the way, Daddy! We're driving here!" Plumkit called, popping up from behind the front hood. "Beep bee bee beep!"

"Beep-beep," Foxkit added quietly, popping up beside his sister.

Sunstar almost told them to get down, but he didn't. Instead, he padded over to where Owlflame was practicing AirBending on a round platform with a Yin-Yang symbol in the middle. The blue-gray WaterClan she-cat looked troubled about something.

"Greetings, Owlflame." Said cat turned to mutter "Hello" back before going back to practice. Deciding to go more into the conversation, Sunstar went on, "It seems Hawkfrost's gifts are getting more and more...profligate."

"I know," Owlflame agreed with a sigh. "He doesn't know how to take 'no' for an answer."

But something in her voice told Sunstar that something was wrong. "Owlflame? Are you alright?"

Owlflame paused from her uppercut practice. "Yeah."

"Why don't you take a little break?" Sunstar asked, sitting on the stairs of the training platform. So Owlflame padded towards her mentor and sat down. As she did so, Sunstar went on, "I'm happy you turned down Hawkfrost's offer, but I just want to make sure your decision was for the right reason."

"I just wanna focus on my AirBending for now," the gray Avatar Cat mewed.

Sunstar mused over her given answer. Remembering how his mother had always comforted him or his father, he began, "Owlflame, it's all right to be scared. The whole city is terrified by what's going on. The important thing is...it's good to talk about your fears. If you don't, they can throw you out of balance."

Owlflame just looked up at him before merely looking away. Sunstar knew there would be some time for her to calm down, so he stood up, ready to go back to the temple.

"If you wish to speak with me anytime, I'll be here for you."

Owlflame nodded before she padded away to the training area. Sunstar gave her a little shrug, got up to his paws, and padded off towards the temple. It was a shame to see his usually bright apprentice be troubled over something like that. But he knew that as a leader of AirClan, he would have to do his best to help those younger or older than he.

**...**

A sad Owlflame leaned against the door of the mansion on AirClan Island. After all the brooding she had done all day, her day had turned into a bad one. The prey got away from her as soon as she stopped to think about her troubles, she got chased around by a black bear just for bumping into her cub, and she had dried sap on her pelt. Now she had nothing else to do other than mope.

She had just finished cleaning up her pelt and just sat down when she heard a familiar voice.

"Avatar Cat Owlflame! I have something for you."

Annoyed, Owlflame leapt down from the railing she sat on and EarthBended the pale brown runner away in the back. Standing up, she snarled, "It doesn't matter how many gifts Hawkfrost sends me! I am NOT joining his damn task force!"

Ivykit and Plumkit, who were playing a game of Pai Sho nearby, looked up from their game to see what was happening. As did a couple of white-tailed hawks, who looked up from pecking at a salmon carcass.

"It's not a gift," the old tom rasped, standing up and padding back with papers in his jaws. "It's an invitation."

"An invitation? To what?" Owlflame asked, giving the page an angry look. She grabbed the papers out of his jaws and started reading them.

The elder bowed lightly. "A ball. Hawkfrost is throwing a ball in your honor. All of United City's movers and shakers will attend. The council humbly desires for your attendance."

Owlflame frowned down at the paper as the elder slunk away. Hawkfrost was so desperate for her to join that he was throwing this ball for her?

But as the kits went back to playing Pai Sho, she mentally scolded herself for thinking this. If he was throwing this party to get her to join his task force, then he would have included that in the invitation. Owlflame scolded herself for being paranoid, but she decided to attend just in case.

In case Hawkfrost tried anything.

**...**

The sounds of jazzy ball music reached Owlflame's ears as she padded towards the City Hall with two huge banners with pictures of her on them. She looked up at them, sighing slightly as her groomed fur ruffled lightly in the cold breeze. It seemed like Hawkfrost wasn't kidding in throwing her a party.

Shortly after, Owlflame, Sunstar, and his family entered the City Hall building dressed in ball cat clothing. As the kits ran off to other kits, the other attendants start cheering as they noticed their Avatar Cat walking in, chanting her name. After this, Dawnfall began wandering off and started socializing with other queens with their kits.

"Wow..." Owlflame mewled as she looked around her. "I can't believe this is all for me."

Sunstar muttered, "I have no idea what Hawkfrost is scheming, but keep your eyes open. Keep your ears pricked. And keep your guard up. He doesn't throw a party just for the fun of it."

Owlflame nodded. _I will._

"I'm glad you could make it, Avatar Cat Owlflame." Hawkfrost had begun padding towards the Avatar Cat and Sunstar, making exaggerated gestures. To Sunstar, he added with a smug smile, "If you'll excuse us, the city needs to see its hero."

At this, he began herding her away from her mentor by nudging her on the shoulder. Confused at this, Owlflame looked back to see if Sunstar was looking back at her. He was, but he turned about in time to see something that made his jaw drop.

"Foxkit, no! That's not a latrine!" Something else Foxkit did made Sunstar mumble "StarClan give me endurance" before he walked off.

Owlflame had to give a small chuckle at this; Foxkit was one amusing kit. But she turned in time for Hawkfrost to meow, "Owlflame, it's my pleasure to introduce United City's most famous capitalist, Romulus Sato."

She looked over at a middle-aged ginger tom with black spots around his green eyes before she bowed to him. "Nice to meet you."

"It's a great honor to meet you at last," Romulus purred, bowing back. "We all expect great things from you, Owlflame."

Owlflame looked away from him, feeling low about this. She wondered if this was what Avatar Cat Goldstar felt about performing great feats in his life. But she couldn't get praise like that, for even though she wasn't scared of Anubis, she knew she wasn't ready.

"Yeah...greatness."

"Owlflame! Hey!"

Owlflame turned at the voice of Redblaze's voice; what was he doing here? But then she saw him entwining tails with a beautiful tortoiseshell-&-white she-cat with lovely green eyes. This made Owlflame's ears flatten with disappointment; she hadn't expected him to find a mate before she could ask him if he had one.

"Oh, where are my manners?" Romulus chuckled, flicking his tail at the tortoiseshell. "This is my daughter, Emerald."

Emerald dipped her head towards Owlflame. "It's so nice to meet you," she mewed with a voice like petals in the wind. "Redblaze had told me so much about you."

Owlflame had a desire to glare at Redblaze for this. She had always liked him ever since she met him at the Pro-Bending arena. And even though she made it clear she liked him, this she-cat had beaten her there.

"Really?" Owlflame meowed curtly. "He hasn't mentioned you at all. How'd you two meet?"

"She crashed into him on her Twoleg's moped," she turned to hear Stonetail whisper into her ear.

Worry replaced anger and jealousy as she turned back to Redblaze. "What? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. In fact...I'm more than fine," Redblaze told her with a smile. "Mister Sato told me he agreed to sponsor our team! We're back in the tournament!"

"Yeah!" Stonetail cheered, leaping around the other cats. "Isn't this awesome?"

Not very excited about her crush's new friend, Owlflame muttered, "Yeah, wonderful."

"Chief Bei Fong!" Owlflame looked up to see Hawkfrost talking to Shard Bei Fong, who was stalking nearby and still wearing her armor. As she wondered what Shard was doing at this party, Hawkfrost went on, "I believe you and Owlflame have already met."

The dusky brown she-cat glared at Owlflame through focused jade eyes. "Just because the city's throwing you this big party, don't think you're StarClan's special one, even though you ARE the Avatar Cat. To me, you have done nothing to deserve this." Then she stalked away, her tail held high.

Owlflame glared angrily after Nightfoot's daughter, but she saw some truth in her words. She guessed Sunstar was right; Hawkfrost would not throw her a party just for the heck of it. There had to be something else behind this party. But still, she wished Shard was a bit nicer when it came to speaking with her.

Looking back, she could see Hawkfrost kinking his tail at her, a sign to follow him. Letting out a sigh, Owlflame followed him until they both reached a staircase. But something she saw before her made her freeze: a lot of Twoleg reporters were waiting downstairs, along with most (if not all) of the guests behind them. As soon as the reporters noticed the Avatar Cat, they rushed for the stairs and started bombarding her with questions.

"They just have a couple of questions for you if you don't mind," Hawkfrost told her with a very sly smile.

"But..."

Before she could protest, the gray-&-white tom pushed her forward until she was facing all of the reporters. Soon enough, they started asking her their questions.

"Avatar Cat Owlflame, you have viewed Anubis take away cats' Bending. How serious a treat do you think he poses to the innocent residents of United City?"

At first, Owlflame had no idea what to say about that. But after seeing what Anubis was capable of, she cleared her throat and answered, "I think he presents a real problem."

But she stopped when she realized she sounded a bit confused while saying this. Behind her, Hawkfrost's sly grin seemed to get wider. Owlflame had no idea what he was smiling about, but she decided to ignore him for now.

"Then why have you refused to join Hawkfrost's task force? Shouldn't you be going after Anubis since you're the Avatar Cat and all?"

"Well, I..." Owlflame struggled to find the right words.

"Why are you backing away from this?"

Offended, the blue-gray she-cat spat, "What? Are you calling me a coward? I've never backed away from anything!"

But at that, all the questions started raining on her like hail.

"But you promised to serve this city. Are you breaking that promise?"

"Do you care more about Pro-Bending more than fighting in the revolution?"

"How do you think Goldstar would have handled this?"

Owlflame was starting to get confused, annoyed, and daunted by this barrage of questions. Then one question finally made her blood boil and her fur bristle.

"Are you scared of Anubis?"

"I'M NOT SCARED OF ANYONE!" Owlflame finally roared so loudly that everyone stopped talking. More calmly, she went on, "If the city needs me that badly, then...fine. I'll join the task force and help fight Anubis."

"And there's your headline, folks," Hawkfrost added, rushing forth to rest his paw on her broad shoulder and talking to the reporters.

As cameras started flashing, Sunstar looked down in discontent. Stonetail and Redblaze looked around at each other, confused. The other guests in the party also looked confused except for Emerald, who was still smiling while entwining her tail with Redblaze's tail.

Owlflame looked down to the ground, feeling sad when she realized that she was tricked. Now there was no way to escape from her fate, even though she wanted to search for her destiny in United City. Her friends couldn't do anything to help her, and Sunstar was now powerless to ask Hawkfrost to stop this. But she had to do this.

_I have to._

**...**

_**Commercial Break**_

**...**

As soon as the party was over, Owlflame had to stay behind while the other cats and Twolegs left the City Hall. She had seen Redblaze and Stonetail looking over at her in concern before they left with Emerald and her father. Owlflame knew that only cats in Hawkfrost's task force were allowed to these kinds of meetings.

So when the meeting started, she sat between a black cat and a dark ginger cat. Owlflame merely flicked her tail around her paws, saddened as the meeting before her took place.

"My fellow task force agents, tonight is the night when we execute a raid on an underground chi blocker training camp located in the Griffin Apartments Burrow. According to my notes, there's a cellar underneath this bookstore," he added, flicking his tail to a blueprint "...where Equalists train chi blocking together in secret."

Owlflame nodded away, unable to speak. And when asked if she had any questions, she asked none.

**...**

Owlflame waited as the car with a water tank and task force members drove towards its location. As soon as the car stopped, the task force members jumped out and up against the wall. Then Owlflame peered through an opening at the bottom of the wall and saw several cats (toms and she-cats) training and learning chi blocking techniques.

On the opposite wall laid a large poster with a picture of Anubis staring over the room. Owlflame suddenly recalled dream when Anubis was reaching towards her. She gasped quickly, but then she berated herself for being a scaredy-cat.

_Come on! _she scolded herself. _Stop being a mouse-heart! You got a job to do! _So with a resolved look on her face, she stood up and looked over at Hawkfrost for the signal.

The gray-&-white tom raised his tail to show a few claws stretched out. He closed the toes on that forepaw, showed his pad again, closed his paw again, and then flashed two claws this time. A tabby task force member undid the top of the water tank and Bended the water out. Another member Bended the water towards him and then to another task force member and another until all the WaterBenders had water in their control. Two of the task force already had water ready for the signal to held his tail out to where a WaterBender was holding the water waiting for a signal.

Owlflame breathed in and out and watched as the summoned water flooded the room and then froze, the cats inside yelping in shock. The task force EarthBenders broke through the wall, causing several chi blockers and apprentices to leap three task force EarthBenders attacked the cats by throwing bricks. One tabby EarthBender pushed up a block of earth and slammed it into a cat, slamming them into a wall. Then, as the fight went on, Owlflame and Hawkfrost leapt into the room.

Hawkfrost hurled a big ginger cat against the wall using WaterBending and froze its head to the wall. A chi blocker threw two cans that had green gas filtering out of them while another opened the door and left. Quickly, Owlflame froze the two cans in ice, and the gas let lose cleared up.

"I'm going after those two," she growled, heading towards the closing door and forced it open.

Up ahead, she could see the chi blockers running down the corridor, so she gave a growl and began to chase them. She suddenly tripped over a wire and fell to the ground. A chi blocker leapt out from a space in the ceiling and tried to grab Owlflame. The blue-gray she-cat got up in time and kicked a large rock up from underneath the chi blocker, hitting him in the face. She fell back, but another chi blocker came from behind her, claws unsheathed.

Suddenly, a stream of water was thrown at the chi blocker and froze him to the wall. Owlflame looked around in time to see Hawkfrost padding over to see her.

"Nice timing," Owlflame panted, stopping to lick at her bleeding claws. "Thanks."

"You see? We make a splendid team, Avatar Cat," the gray-&-white tom told her slyly.

Owlflame glared at him, giving him a belittling look. "Yeah, whatever."

**...**

Redblaze flipped the pages of the newspaper while Stonetail practiced his fighting moves and Toube swept up the gym. When he reached the next page, he saw a group of reporters, flashing cameras, and the cats who partook in the task force standing over some captured chi blockers. He could see Hawkfrost shepherding a chi blocker into a police truck with task force members on the side. There was another row of task force members, Owlflame sitting at the front with a vexed look and Hawkfrost answering a reporter's questions through a microphone. The Equalists were in the middle, and another row of task force members were on the other side.

The red-orange tom sighed as Stonetail made two plates of earth hover above his stumpy tail using EarthBending. The task force must be why Owlflame had not been able to practice with them.

"Owlflame still not here for practice again?" Stonetail asked, putting the plates down.

Redblaze shook his head grimly. "Nope."

The tabby tom looked down and sighed, kicking the two plates of earth at the wall. Toube gave him a stern glare when he did so, but Redblaze knew his brother was just worried. He was also worried for his Avatar Cat friend, but there were also other things to worry about.

_Like Emerald..._

**...**

With a wary eye, Owlflame gazed around room of journalists with Hawkfrost on stage behind a podium. She had no idea why Hawkfrost would drag her over to one of his little speeches; to her, it was just an hour of giving speeches.

"Avatar Cat Owlflame has bravely answered the call," the WaterClan tom purred. "With us two leading the task force, Anubis and his Equalists will know better than to mess with the warriors of United City, and all of you will be safe from their claws."

"Question for the Avatar Cat!" a Twoleg reporter piped up, standing up. "Anubis remains on the loose. Why did you not locate him?"

On the outside, Owlflame let out a sigh; she was tired of others calling her a coward when she knew she wasn't. So she padded closer to the microphone while Hawkfrost leapt down from the podium. As she took the microphone into her right forepaw and thought over her words before she spoke.

"Why, you ask? Well, you wanna know why?" she growled loudly so that they could all hear. "Because Anubis is hiding in the shadows like a mouse-hearted coward. Anubis, I challenge you to a duel! No task force, no chi blockers, no other cats. It'll just be us two tonight at moonhigh on Avatar Cat Goldstar Memorial Island. Let's settle this for good IF you're even brave enough to face me."

Then she put the microphone down and leapt down from the podium as the journalists buzzed with questions asking for details and standing up to get attention. Owlflame let Hawkfrost answer all the questions, for she felt like she had done her part for now. But many questions (very personal questions) were buzzing around in her head like

**...**

It was a slightly windy yet cool night as Redblaze looked out the window of the horse-drawn carriage. He and Emerald had decided to hang out together after practice, and he felt very joyful whenever he was with her. Redblaze almost had the urge to lick her on the ear for this, but since he had promised to take it slow, he just held her paw.

"You know..." Emerald spoke up as she blushed. "It sounds weird to say this, but...I'm happy I hit you with my moped."

"Hehe..." Redblaze gave a small chuckle back. "Me too."

Then Emerald's green eyes narrowed a bit as she mewed on, "I forgot to ask you this. Why didn't you wear the new silk scarf I got you last quarter-moon? Didn't you like it?"

Not wanting to hurt her feelings, Redblaze murmured, "No, I DO like it...but this scarf was my father's before he was killed. And it's all I have left of him. I just feel like...like it keeps me safe. Like an angel," he added softly with a shrug.

To his surprise, the calico she-cat nodded slightly with pure sympathy on her face. "I'm so sorry. I know what it's like to lose a parent. I lost my mother when I was very young."

Redblaze stared at her in pure shock and sympathy in return. She had something in common with him after all: both of them had lost their parents. He had no idea what killed Emerald's mother, but he did know one thing. Whoever Emerald's mother was must have raised up a beautiful and very kindhearted daughter.

The ginger tom looked warmly into Emerald's green eyes as she did the same. Then Emerald scooted over and buried her muzzle into his neck fur, making him bend his head low and lick her gently on the top of her head. She looked up at Redblaze and gently licked his cheek before she leaned her head against his side.

"I feel so safe with you," she purred, her sweet flower scent tickling the inside of Redblaze's nose.

_I'm glad you do. And I love spending time with you, _Redblaze almost meowed out loud. But he knew there were no words to be said about any of this. So he let her lean in as the two entwined their tails together, enjoying the night together.

**...**

Silver flickers in the water made Owlflame look down; it looked like nocturnal fish were getting ready for their nightly feeding. She almost had the urge to leap into the water and catch a few of them to eat, but she held herself back. Her energy would have to wait until she faced up against Anubis.

Owlflame heard a swoosh of air above her, and she looked up to see Sunstar flying down to her, Hawkfrost, and several other warriors on his glider. As soon as Sunstar landed, he folded his glider up and hurried over to his apprentice.

"Owlflame, reconsider. This is madness!" he meowed desperately.

Wrapping some rope loosely around her forelegs, Owlflame retorted, "Don't try to stop me or follow me. I have to fight Anubis alone."

Sunstar looked like he couldn't believe what he was hearing. Turning to Hawkfrost, he snarled, "This is your entire fault, Hawkfrost."

"I tried to talk her out of it too," the Northern WaterClan cat retorted. "But she's already made up her mind. If she wants to go there to fight Anubis, then that's fine with us."

Despite really not liking Hawkfrost at the moment, Owlflame was thankful for him agreeing with her. She wanted to prove that she was not afraid of anything; she had even felt like this when she had tried FireBending for the first time. However, she also felt a dread of worry as she got into the boat and sped away with WaterBending.

As she made her way to the memorial, Owlflame could hear her conscience telling her to not go there and to turn back. The Avatar Cat quickly pushed that thought away, hoping not to show any signs of weakness when she would fight Anubis. She couldn't even afford to back down after she made the challenge; to her, backing down from a promise was terrible.

**...**

Owlflame sat on top of the statue's platform, a clock positioned on top of the archway beneath. A noise reached her ears as she quickly looked over to her left, unsheathing her claws and readying herself for a fight. But there was nothing except a mouse scuttling here and there as it began its search for seeds. She suddenly leapt up in alarm as a loud bell rung around her, but she looked down at the clock beneath her.

_Stop it! _she scolded herself, slapping her own face with her paw. _Your fight with Anubis is just trying to get you nervous! Show some backbone!_

Moonhigh had arrived. As the clock's bell rang, Owlflame looked up at the statue of Goldstar, then she took a deep breath, readying herself and stretching her slender legs. The wind blew gently around Owlflame as she looked out over the bay at United City; the city was no longer lit up.

"Guess you're a no-show, huh, Anubis?" Owlflame yawned as she got ready to leave. "Who's the mouse-heart now?"

She was just padding past the archway when she smelled something weird. And then...a rope just shot out from the darkness and wrapped itself around her legs. Owlflame looked down at her legs as they were tied together, tripping her. She had a moment to be surprised before she got dragged off into the dark passage, grunting in discomfort. As she was dragged into the dark, Owlflame managed to stick her legs into the air and break free with FireBending claws.

The passage was now lit up, and...there were about two dozen chi blockers surrounding her as she got up to her paws. She caught her breath, fright filling her insides like tar, before she turned and gasped as the passage went pitch black excluding the glowing red goggles.

Owlflame quickly started to FireBend, placing one paw on the ground and slashing at the other cats with the other, lighting up the passage as she kept the chi blockers at bay. But her tail was caught by two bolos, and she struggled to break free as two chi blockers leapt at her. Owlflame turned to kick at them and sent another blast of fire, then she knocked them away with another kick that EarthBended the floor up beneath them. The passage dimmed again as she was stricken by them on the pressure points in her back, paralyzing her as she fell unconscious to the floor.

As Owlflame slowly woke up several minutes later, the room was now illuminated by a lantern as she was surrounded by a circle of chi blockers. Her bleeding shoulders were pinned down by two of them. She panted softly as she regained consciousness, then she saw something that made her gasp in fright.

_Anubis!_

"I received your invitation, Avatar Cat," the white cat told her as he stepped out of the shadows.

Owlflame could not speak, for she was scared speechless, and her fur bristled even more as he reached a paw out towards her. She looked away from the approaching paw, afraid of what he was going to do. Any minute now, he was going to take away her Bending, just like what had happened to Thunderbolt Jolt.

_StarClan help me!_

But then, Anubis stopped, looking down at his paw while his claws unsheathed. And then...he grasped her by the chin with his paw, forcing her to look up at him.

"While this is expected, our final showdown is much too early," the Equalist leader told her silkily as he held her in place. "I could take away your Bending right now and that would be the end of it...but I won't. Not now anyways. You'd only become a sacrificial victim. Bending cats of every Clan would gather behind your premature expiration. But I do have a plan, and I will save you for last. Then you shall have your battle...and I will kill you."

Then he straightened up and slashed his claws at a pressure point in Owlflame's head to knock her out. She looked up at the white tom, her vision blurring before she finally fell down to the floor. But as she closed her eyes, visions suddenly started to cross into her mind.

She was in a courtroom with many cats muttering to one another. Owlflame could see a tall dark gray tabby tom narrowing his pale blue eyes, then she saw a black she-cat with MetalBending cats behind her; she even had the same body build as Shard. Then at long last, she saw a tall handsome golden tom with white arrow stripes and dark gray eyes gazing at a black-&-gray tom with yellow eyes.

The tom was standing up to fight, Goldstar was leaping at him to battle, and Owlflame blinked. After that, she knew no more.

**...**

"G-Goldstar?"

At the sound of his father's name, Sunstar dashed into the area below the statue to see where his apprentice was. There was Owlflame looking around blankly, her pelt and head covered in a lot of blood and her blue eyes looking glazed.

"Owlflame!" Sunstar called, rushing over to her. As he tried to lift her up to her paws, he asked, "Are you alright? What happened here? Anubis showed up?"

"Y-yeah. He ambushed me," she replied, standing up a bit and slipping a bit on her own blood.

Sunstar gazed down at her in concern. "He...didn't take your Bending away, did he?"

Owlflame created a small flame on her tail before flicking it around and extinguishing it. "No."

"Thank StarClan," the large golden tom sighed with relief. He was happy his apprentice made it out of almost getting her Bending away.

Then suddenly, he saw her aqua-blue eyes quiver before she broke down and began crying, tears streaming down her cheeks. She leaned into her mentor, burying her head into his thick golden mane and hugging him close. Sunstar wrapped a foreleg around her broad shoulders to try and help comfort her.

"I was so terrified! I felt so helpless!" Owlflame sobbed as her body wracked with horror.

Sunstar looked down at his father's reincarnation. "It's alright, Owlflame. The nightmare is over now."

Looking up into his gray eyes, the blue-gray she-cat sobbed, "You were right. I've been scared this whole time! I've never felt like this before and...and I don't know what to do!" After that, she buried her face into his mane again and wept even harder.

"It's okay to be scared," Sunstar told her, recalling what he told her a few days ago. "Though it can be hard, admitting your fears is the first step in overcoming them."

He looked up to the only hole in the roof, where the moon shone behind some clouds and the stars shone bright. Sunstar wondered if Goldstar was seeing this, feeling sympathy for the broken-down she-cat he was comforting right now. But no magic or medicine could cure a shaken spirit; only time could do that.

_Please, StarClan, and Goldstar if you're listening, _he prayed silently as he saw a large star in the sky shine brightly. _Help Owlflame in this time of darkness._

_**To be continued...**_

**...**

**Korra: (Shudders) I can still remember that today, and that WAS awful. By the way, what were the two songs sung on there?**

**AvatarCat12: The first was Bo Diddley by the musician with the same name, and the second was Afro Circus from Madagascar 3. And I really enjoyed it.**

**Korra: Me too. Especially Alex's "Really?" part.**

**AvatarCat12: Yeah. So who do you think should say the review part and the preview for The Spirit Of Succession?**

**Korra: I can! (To the readers) You all know the drill, everyone. Read and review! If you do, you'll get a cat version of either me or everyone else from our series. Constructive criticism and advice are allowed on here, but flames aren't.**

**Preview: With the threat of Anubis gone for the time being, Owlflame can get focused on Pro-Bending. But love is in the air, and she doesn't know why Redblaze would choose the beautiful Emerald over her. Not only that, but Stonetail seems to be padding after her as well. Will the Fire Meerkats recover in time before they face their next opponents?**

**Both: See ya next time!**


	6. The Spirit Of Succession

**AvatarCat12: Well, here we are with a new episode of Legend Of Owlflame! And love is in the air on here!**

**Korra: Can we change the subject? Like how you got your Night Elf Druid to level 85? Cool stuff, huh?**

**AvatarCat12: (Smiles slyly at her) Yeah...but you don't fool me. I know about what you and Mako did on there.**

**Korra: (Blushes) Yeah...look, can we just go on with the disclaimer? (Avatar Cat nods) Thanks! I can't wait to get this outta the way!**

**Disclaimer: AvatarCat12 owns neither series. Never has, never will. And he got the title of the episode from Ginga Densetsu Weed...which he doesn't own either.  
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**Summary: ****With the threat of Anubis gone for the time being, Owlflame can get focused on Pro-Bending. But love is in the air, and she doesn't know why Redblaze would choose the beautiful Emerald over her. Not only that, but Stonetail seems to be padding after her as well. Will the Fire Meerkats recover in time before they face their next opponents?**

**Uploading Date: July 23, 2012**

**Both: Enjoy!**

**...**

_**The Spirit Of Succession**_

Snow was falling around the Pro-Bending arena, and fog covered the surrounding water. Plus, Owlflame was back in her training gear inside the training room, jazz music playing on a nearby desk. It felt good being back with her friends in the Pro-Bending arena, training with them and not being pressured by Hawkfrost. And it felt great about not thinking about Anubis.

Quickly, Owlflame Bended two large balls of water and flung both of them at her two friends. Stonetail Bended an earth disc in front of him to block one of the attacks while Redblaze turned his body and FireBended with a spinning kick to block the other water ball, following up with two quick fire blasts at Stonetail. The brown tabby blocked the attacks with an earth disc while Owlflame pulled some more water from a water tank and flung it at Redblaze, who leapt to the side.

Stonetail used his jaws to throw an earth disc at Owlflame as Redblaze threw two simultaneous fire blasts at them. Owlflame and Stonetail blocked the fire blasts, but they followed it up with another blast at the ginger tom. Stonetail was knocked down by his brother's fire blast, but he threw an earth disc at Owlflame. In turn, she threw a water ball at Redblaze, but she was hit by a stone disc in the belly, knocking her down. Redblaze was hit in the face by Avatar Cat's attack and was knocked down on his back. And when all that was over, all three cats sat up and shared a laugh.

"It's good having you back in practice with us, Owlflame," Redblaze purred, standing up and shaking his practice gear off of him.

"Feels good to BE back," Owlflame purred back. "But Hawkfrost wasn't too happy about my leave of absence."

Stonetail nudged her cheerfully on the shoulder and added, "Hey, you joined us BEFORE you joined his task force. Remember?"

Owlflame purred while Redblaze nodded and spoke up. "Okay, come on, team huddle time."

As quick as a snake, the three cats began huddle together, heads touching. When Stonetail's ears touched Owlflame's ears, he grinned at her flirtatiously. Flattered by this, Owlflame smiled back awkwardly before smiling broadly at Redblaze. But the ginger tom just looked over at her a bit uncomfortably.

"All right, guys. Listen up," Redblaze meowed as they settled down. "It's gonna our first match of the tournament tonight. I know we haven't been a team for very long, but all the same, the Fire Meerkats have never been this good. Are we ready?"

"Yeah!" they both meowed. Then they all put their paws together and flung them into the air, calling, "Fire Meerkats! Ready for anything!"

_This is gonna be awesome!_

"Not quite ready yet."

Owlflame turned to look at the newcomer who said that, and she had to hold back a groan. It was Emerald, the beautiful calico she-cat Redblaze seemed to be smitten with. She was holding up a Pro-Bending uniform in her jaws as she added, "You'll need these."

Redblaze padded up to her warmly and purred, "Morning, sweetheart."

"Good morning to you too, sweetie," Emerald purred back, licking his cheek.

Owlflame rolled her eyes at this.

"So these are the new uniforms?" Redblaze asked, putting a set on. "They look great."

Emerald purred, "Well, _you_ look great, tough guy."

The two cats purred as they nuzzled each other, their muzzles rubbing against each other. Behind them, Owlflame, disgusted by their affection, fought down the urge to hack up a hairball. If she had been with Redblaze, then she wouldn't act like that. But as Redblaze turned to speak again, she began to act natural.

"I'll see you before the match tonight, teammates," the ginger tom meowed as he and Emerald twined their tails together. "Emerald and I have a lunch date. See you guys tonight!"

Their pelt brushing together, the two cats padded away. Owlflame glared after them, small seeds of jealousy planting themselves into her heart. She admitted that she had started liking Redblaze ever since she helped him rescue Stonetail from the Equalists. But seeing him with another she-cat was enough to make her blood boil.

"All right then!" Stonetail was calling after the couple. "We'll talk later! See you when we see you!" Just as Owlflame picked up her bag in her jaws, he slid up to her and meowed in a casual voice, "Sooo...hey, Owlflame. There they go, here we are, all alone in the gym. Just you and me, you know? Two cats together alone. Together. Alone."

Not knowing what to say about that, Owlflame mewed, "Um...sorry, but I gotta head back to the island. Sunstar wants to show me this really cool trick. See ya!"

And she leapt away, her paws skidding over the smooth gym floor. She failed to see Stonetail look away and sulk sadly as she brushed him off.

**...**

Timon was letting out squeaks of protest as Stonetail tried to lower him into the bath basin. No matter how hard he tried, the red meerkat still seemed to hate water. He could smell hot steaming catfish on a skillet over a burner being tossed; Redblaze had offered to make his brother some dinner.

But still, he couldn't get something out of his mind: Owlflame. He really came to like the blue-gray she-cat for her fun nature, her beauty, and her strength. Perhaps that was what Redblaze saw in Emerald.

"Work with me here, Timon!" the brown tabby meowed, lowering Timon down to the water. "You wanna look sparkly clean in your new uniform?"

But Timon protested and pushed his short legs against the edges of the basin. The fire meerkat struggled a bit more before Stonetail finally managed to get him in the water. Timon's red fur was already soaked, shaking the water from his head and sneezing, as he finally got his bath.

Taking the time to keep Timon distracted, Stonetail called over his shoulder to Redblaze, "So what do you think of Owlflame in a mate sort of way?"

"She's a great cat, but I think it makes more sense for me to have Emerald as my mate," his brother meowed as he cooked.

"I was talking about a mate for ME," Stonetail retorted, raising a brow at him. "Leave some ladies for the rest of us!"

Redblaze nodded. "I know; that's what I thought you meant."

Stonetail nodded. "Well?"

He could see indecision cross over his littermate's face, his amber eyes narrowing. Finally, he mewed, "I-I dunno, Stoner. Doesn't seem like a good idea for you to be with Owlflame yet."

"What? But you just said she was great two seconds ago!" Stonetail protested, shocked at what he just said.

"I know. She's a really great athlete, being an Avatar Cat and stuff. But I dunno if she's really suitable as a mate. She's more like a buddy," Redblaze reasoned.

Stonetail fixed him with a stare mixed with disbelief and amusement. "You got bees in your brain? Owlflame and I are awesomely perfect for each other! She's strong, I'm strong. She's fun, I'm fun. She's beautiful, I'M GORGEOUS!"

Redblaze didn't say anything about that, making Stonetail sigh. He watched Timon try to sneak away, but he picked him up by the scruff and put him back into the tub. "Okay, I don't care what you think right now, okay? I'm gonna grow some guts and ask Owlflame out."

His brother sighed. "Look, it just isn't smart to be mates with a teammate, especially during the tournament. Keep your feet on the ground and your priorities straight, okay? Then you can think about it afterward."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Stonetail groaned. Turning to Timon, he added, "You know what I'm talking about, Timon. It's real love."

With one look at his master with his fur dripping wet, Timon let out a squeak and tilted his head to the side.

**...**

The sun was setting over the water, making it look like the water was bleeding, and the ground on AirClan Island was covered in snow. Owlflame, Plumkit, and Ivykit were standing by a small lit pagoda, Owlflame on top of a ladder filling a cage with mice. Ivykit was holding the ladder steady while Plumkit was making chirping noises to the forest. Finally, three white-tailed hawks flew out of the trees to eat the mice as Owlflame climbed down.

She wished she could do something like this with Redblaze, but how could she? Redblaze was going out with Emerald, and there was nothing she could do but watch. As if they could read her mind, the kits turned to face their older friend.

"So, how's it going with that tall dreamy FireBending tom?" Ivykit asked, her amber eyes shining. "You've been spending a lot of time together lately."

"Yeah! Tell us all about the magical romance!" Plumkit pleaded.

"What?" Owlflame chirped, spinning around to face them. "Listen. I'm not interested in him or any romantic stuff. Besides, he's all into that prim beautiful smart rich she-cat...you know what? Let's just pretend that I AM interested in him. So what would I do?"

The two she-kits sat down and began to think it over. Then Ivykit spoke up, "Hey, I just read a historical tale where the heroine fell in love with the son of the deputy from another Clan who's supposed to marry a senior she-warrior. You wanna know what she did to make him notice?"

Owlflame nodded, excited on hearing this. "Yeah! Tell me!"

"She rode a griffin into battle and burned down the entire tribe. Then she jumped into a volcano and had all her fur burned off." Then the light brown she-kit sighed, "It was SO romantic."

This made Owlflame gawk awkwardly at Sunstar's oldest kit, unable to comprehend what she just said. How was this kit allowed to read books beyond her age? But anyways, she felt like this wasn't the right thing to do with Redblaze.

"No, no, no!" Plumkit squealed. "The best way to win a tom's heart is to brew a love potion of rainbows and sunsets that makes lovers sprout wings and fly to a magical castle in the sky where they get married, play with unicorns, and eat rainbows with cat spoons and use stars as ice cubes in their magical moonlight punch forever and ever and ever!" she added, spinning around and jumping up into the air. And then she floated gently back down.

Owlflame stared down at Plumkit this time; that story was too mushy for a she-cat like her. So there was one thing to say without hurting this kit's feelings.

"The volcano's making more sense now."

This just made Plumkit smile widely up at her.

There was a purr of amusement coming from right behind them, and Owlflame turned to see Dawnfall standing behind them. The AirClan queen had dropped a caught rabbit down to her front paws in the snow, for she had been out hunting. Owlflame wasn't sure if Dawnfall should be out hunting while she was pregnant with Sunstar's third litter of kits.

"Hey Dawnfall," Owlflame called out to her. "Uh, how long where you standing there?"

"Long enough. I was getting some hunting done before I head back to the nursery," Dawnfall replied. "But trust me, Owlflame, I know what you're going through. Just moons ago, I was in the exact same situation with Sunstar."

Plumkit stared at her mother in surprise before bounding up to her. "Really? Daddy was in love with someone else before you?" she mewed as she looked up into her mother's green eyes.

The pretty golden-&-white she-cat nodded, licking her daughter's ears. "That's right, Plumkit."

Owlflame tilted her head to one side. "So what did you do?"

"Well...at first, I did nothing," Dawnfall began. "I was shy and scared of him rejecting me, but watching my soul mate spend his life with another she-cat became too painful to bear. So I held my head and tail high and told Sunstar the truth. That I loved him. And as you can see here, the rest is history."

This made Ivykit, Plumkit and even Owlflame sigh at this. But Owlflame paused to think for a moment; Dawnfall had just given her an idea on how to get Redblaze to like her.

**...**

"Folks, after a long year of waiting, the Pro-Bending battle tournament is finally here! Tonight is the first set of matches our single elimination sixteen-team bracket! And I gotta tell ya, these are the most inflexible and talented Bending trios this arena has ever seen!"

Owlflame looked around as she, Redblaze, and Stonetail were carried up by a platform to the edge of the arena floor. They were all wearing the Future Productions uniforms (body braces with the symbol on them), and the spotlight was illuminating them. All this excitement made Owlflame want to start fighting right away, but she knew the rules. She had to wait until the other team was ready, though she thought that was boring.

"Introducing our first team: the Future Productions Fire Meerkats!"

The three cats waved their tails around (Stonetail had to wag his stumpy tail about) as the crowd cheered around them. They finished just as the ring announcer called, "And their opponents are the White Sand Wallaroos!"

They looked up to see their opponents getting ready, and they looked like they were an all-she-cat team. The leader was a gray cat while the other two were tabbies. Owlflame watched as Redblaze adjusted his helmet, a determined look on his face. But she looked away from him just as both teams got into their stances. The bell rang and the match began.

Both teams threw their attacks at each other, the elements colliding and exploding, pushing all six cats away from the middle. As two of the Wallaroos began to recover, the EarthBending Wallaroo stomped her forepaw to the ground and picked up two earth discs before flinging them at the Fire Meerkats.

"What an explosive opening cascade! Both teams quickly recover and unleash a barrage of Bending attacks! I'm amazed by the level of upgrading displayed here by the Fire Meerkats!"

Soon, the FireBender and WaterBender Wallaroos started attacking as well. Owlflame quickly threw a ball of water to extinguish a fireball, then she leapt out of the way of the incoming earth discs and a second fireball. Owlflame landed next to Redblaze, who destroyed a disc that was about to hit the blue-gray she-cat with a fireball. Mewing a thanks to him, Owlflame picked up some water and sent it to the other side while Redblaze ducked under a fire blast. And last but not least, Stonetail was popping up a disc and launching it to the other side.

The tabby Wallaroo had a worried look on her face as she blocked Owlflame's attack before getting hit in the belly by Stonetail's disc and sent across the line. The buzzer sounded, then the crowd went wild.

"No wonder the Avatar Cat has been absent from the papers lately! She's had her nose to the grindstone in the gym!"

The Fire Meerkats were advancing into the next zone just as the line turned green. Owlflame threw out another water ball while Redblaze shot three fire blasts before crouching to the floor to avoid a water blast.

"The Meerkats advance into Wallaroo territory and are holding nothing back. That was a nice crouch from Redblaze! And Stonetail is striking like a snake!"

Stonetail struck his paws hard to the ground and popped up a disc. He spun his head around and flung it hard, making the Wallaroos squeal as they were hit by the Fire Meerkats' barrage. The FireBender was knocked down by Owlflame, but the EarthBender jumped out of the way of Stonetail's disc, which hit the floor.

"Looks like Wedgeclaw dodges this one!"

As quick as a flash, the WaterBender caught the EarthBender as she was pushed back into her side. Then they were hit by Redblaze's fire blast, followed by another earth disc from Stonetail, which knocked the two of them down.

"And all three Wallaroos are down! The Fire Meerkats easily take round one!" the reporter called as the bell rung. Owlflame purred alongside her teammates; they were getting through this quite quickly.

"Round two!"

The bell rang again, and the WaterBender Wallaroo pulled up some water and threw it. In the meanwhile, the FireBender kicked out a fire blast and was almost hit by an attack just launched from Owlflame.

"The Wallaroos are looking for payback and go straight after Stonetail. But Owlflame comes to his defense! And she turns around and smacks Longears back into zone two!"

While the broadcaster went on, the WaterBender's attack collided with Stonetail, who was pushed back. He popped up a disc and used it to block another water blast. But before he could tire out, Owlflame jumped in front of Stonetail. She threw a glob of water at the WaterBender and made her get knocked back, tumbling past the line. While the FireBender Wallaroo made some more blasts, Redblaze clawed an incoming disc into dust and jumped out of the way of another as he kicked out a fire ball. As soon as he landed, the ginger tom ducked under a water blast and followed it up with two spinning fire kicks. Meanwhile, Stonetail threw out an earth disc, rolled out of the way of a fire blast, and threw another disc.

"The Meerkats sure are on fire tonight! They win round two!"

At the ring of the bell, the audience was on their feet and paws, cheering wildly. Then the bell rung again as the ring announcer cried, "Round three!"

As soon as the round started, the WaterBender Wallaroo threw out two water blasts, and the EarthBender did a spinning leap only to be knocked down over the line in midair by an earth disc.

"With the Wallaroos down two rounds, they'll need a knockout to win. But since the Meerkats are performing well tonight, I don't see that happening!"

Stonetail leapt away from a water blast while Redblaze threw out a fire blast. The two brothers worked as one as Stonetail threw an earth disc and ducked as Redblaze did a jumping spinning kick over his head and flung an arc of fire. The EarthBender Wallaroo went falling back across the line after being hit by the fire blast, landing on her side, as the FireBender Wallaroo was also pushed back. The EarthBender panted and glared up angrily at the other team, determined and angry before getting back up.

Owlflame threw out a combination of water claws and an uppercut followed by a spinning kick. Stonetail was beside her, using his own combination of swipes, grunting and throwing out earth discs. The disc smashed into the FireBender Wallaroo, and she was knocked over the line. The Fire Meerkats got the chance to advance to the next zone.

"These Meerkats are working together like a lean mean Bending machine. Stonetail gets to bash Oatstripe into zone two, and the Meerkats get the green light to advance!"

Above the sound of the cheering, the EarthBender Wallaroo was getting hit by a water blast, then the WaterBender was pushed back by an earth disc. Said cat got hit with a fire ball in the side that made her stumble, and then she was knocked back a zone by water blast. The FireBender got knocked back a zone by a water blast, followed by the EarthBender from a fire blast, and finally the WaterBender with an earth disc.

"The Wallaroos are just fighting to stay on their paws at this point. But look at this! Down goes Longears, Wedgeclaw, and Oatstripe into the drink! All three rounds and victory go to the Future Production's Fire Meerkats, who win their opening match of the tournament!"

"Woo-hoo!" Owlflame cheered, leaping up into the air with cheer. They had done it; they were finally in the tournament.

"Yes!" Redblaze yowled, his amber eyes shining.

"That's what I'm talking about!" Stonetail cheered as he threw the other two into a group hug. As the Wallaroos sulked after their defeat and Owlflame and Redblaze walked away from the arena floor to the lockers, Stonetail stayed behind to wave to the cheering crowd and cheer, "Thank you! Thank you You're all too kind! Really!"

Once they made it back into the locker room, Redblaze looked over at Owlflame with pride. "Wow...we sure connected out there in that ring."

Owlflame cheered, "Yeah! You know, I feel like the two of us have connected really well out of the ring too."

"Uh...sure," Redblaze muttered, putting his helmet away.

"So Redblaze...I was just thinking that we can spend some time together," Owlflame began.

Redblaze gave her a look that was mixed with amusement and embarrassment. "We ARE spending time together. You know, training and shit?"

Owlflame shook her head. "No, not that. I mean outside of the gym, not while searching for kidnapped littermates or fighting Equalists."

"I-I don't know," Redblaze just replied, uncertainty on his face. "I mean...Emerald and I are mates now and everything..."

"I know." As Owlflame said this, she knew her heart was wrenching for Redblaze, wanting to just press her pelt against his and nuzzle him. Then she recalled what Dawnfall said about telling Sunstar that she loved him despite Sunstar having a former mate.

Finally, she rushed in close and meowed quickly, "Look, I really like you, and I think we were meant to be mates."

She had finally said it. She had confessed her feeling for Redblaze aloud in front of him. This made the ginger tom turn away, and Owlflame also looked away in embarrassment. She had partly regretted what she said, but part of her was proud of what she told him.

Finally, Redblaze turned back to her and looked into her blue eyes. However, what he said next chilled her blood: "I'm really sorry, Owlflame, but I just don't feel the same way. I DO like you, but I just like you as a _friend_."

"I-It's okay. Forget I ever said anything," Owlflame sighed, walking towards the nearby table as Stonetail came into the locker area. She had been so close to getting to be with him, but he had tossed her aside like a bad piece of meat.

"Congratulations, you three! You were so amazing out there!"

All three cats looked up in time to see Emerald entering the room through the door. Timon was riding on her shoulder, and he jumped down to the floor with a squeak. Then Emerald padded up to Redblaze to give him a loving lick on the cheek.

Just as this happened, Redblaze and Owlflame shared a glance, but Owlflame looked on sadly and turned away. Redblaze frowned in concern for a moment before turning his attention back to Emerald and walking away with her. Owlflame watched them go, unable to reveal how she felt right now: upset and hurt.

But as she moped, she looked over as Stonetail leapt onto the table to look at her. She was a bit confused at what he was going to do next.

"Hey Owlflame," the tabby tom purred. "I was thinkin' about...how about you and me go get something to eat together? Sort of a date thing?"

"Oh..." Owlflame looked back to where Redblaze and Emerald went off to before turning back to Stonetail. "That's really sweet of you, but I don't think I can. I don't feel very date-worthy."

Stonetail chuckled, "Are you kidding? You're the smartest, funniest, toughest, buffest, talentedest, incrediblest, and most beautiful she-cat in the world!"

Hearing this, Owlflame felt her cheeks heat up until she was blushing. She had never been called all those things by a tom before...and she blushed when Stonetail said she was beautiful. A small laugh escaped from her throat as she asked, "Really? You really feel that way about me?"

"Yeah! I felt that way since the moment I saw you and when I got Toube to lay off you!" He leapt off the table and started padding over towards the door. "Trust me, I know we're gonna have so much fun together."

Unknowingly to the both of them, Redblaze had been nearby with Emerald while this talk went on. He turned his head around to listen and frowned, but Owlflame didn't notice.

"You know...I GUESS I could use some fun," Owlflame murmured. Then... "Oh, what the hell? Sure."

This caused Stonetail to leap up into the air, cheering, "Yes! Who's the luckiest guy tonight? Right here!"

Unknowingly to them yet again, Redblaze turned his head a bit more to watch as the two cats left through the door, their pelts brushing together. Emerald playfully nipped his ear and made him turn his head back towards her until they gazed into each other's eyes. The beautiful calico she-cat smiled and leaned her head against his broad shoulder, and Redblaze licked her gently on top of her head.

**...**

_**Commercial Break**_

**...**

That night, while Redblaze and Emerald were busy, Owlflame and Stonetail had arrived at their destination: a restaurant. They had gotten there on Nisa, who was now resting outside the door and yawning. Once inside, they could hear country music playing while they ordered what they were going to eat. In a few minutes, Stonetail was now chowing down on a piece of salmon inside while Owlflame had ordered a dish of grilled seal steak.

"So how ya like it?" Stonetail asked Owlflame, his mouth full of fish.

"It's tasty! And totally genuine!" she mumbled through a huge mouthful of seal. She did get to swallow the meat before going on, "Great StarClan almighty, I didn't know how much I missed WaterClan grub."

Stonetail swallowed his fish and smiled, purring, "Good, 'cause this is my favorite hangout place. See here? You love WaterClan food, I love WaterClan food. Just another reason we're great together."

Owlflame nodded, tearing off another piece of roast seal. "Yeah. This IS a good seal."

But then she noticed something weird behind Stonetail. There was a black tom with a white muzzle, white paws, and a white tail tip sitting in a booth with his two friends and three she-cats. All three she-cats were busy fawning over this tom, making Owlflame hiss again. But as she did so, they all stared in her direction.

"Hey, who's that weird cat over there that keeps glaring at us?" she asked Stonetail.

"That's Batwing and the Whitewater Bats," the brown tabby whispered. "The reigning champs two years running. Don't make eye contact."

But just as she did so, Batwing glared at her through icy blue eyes, smirking as one of the she-cats whispered something to him. He stood up as the she-cats giggle, then he signaled his group to follow him over to the table.

Stonetail gulped. "Oh shit, here he comes. Now don't mess with dude. He's bad news."

But he looked back in time to see Batwing approaching, so he quickly got back to eating his salmon.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the Fire Meerkats, Pro-Bending's most pathetic team," the black-&-white tom sneered as he arrived. "Tell me, how did carcasses like you worm your way into the tournament? Especially you, Ohvatar Cat."

Owlflame merely huffed in annoyance, but Batwing was leaning in very close to her. "Plus, I can give you private lessons if you'd like to learn how a real Clan cat Bends."

Hearing this, Owlflame slowly got to her paws and glared up at Batwing, who was a bit taller than her. "Wanna go jaw to jaw with me, pretty boy?"

"Go for it," the black tom snickered. "I'll give you first hit."

"No!" Stonetail was hissing in fear. "He's just trying to bait you. You hit him, and we're out of the tournament!"

Owlflame did not pay that much attention to her friend, for she kept glaring up at Batwing. The way the white-patched black tom was sneering down at her infuriated her, not to mention his smug attitude. She silently raised a paw, ignoring Stonetail's flinching, though she knew why he was flinching: he was afraid she would hit Batwing with her paw. But Owlflame was going to prove him wrong.

She lifted up her head and let out a loud caterwaul, making Batwing flinch a bit. But before he could strike, Nisa's head burst the shutters open and barked fiercely, making Batwing squeal in shock as he stepped back. One of his teammates held him steady while he composed himself and fixed the head fur that fell over his face. He held up his nose and smirked before turning and leaving with his group.

When they left, Owlflame and Stonetail began laughing hard. Stonetail was laughing, "Ha ha ha! I've never seen someone scare Batwing like that. You're one of a kind, Owlflame!"

Owlflame smiled back at him while Nisa still looked at them through the window, panting as if nothing bad happened. Hanging out with Stonetail like this wasn't that bad at all, even though she still had feelings for Redblaze.

For the rest of the night, the two cats had went around town having fun. Where they stopped at next was at a soda bar, drinking glasses of soda through straws. Stonetail let out a burp, then he blushed and lowered his head in embarrassment. To make him feel good about it, Owlflame let out a burp too, making her friend smile in delight. So he let out a loud burp, his whiskers shaking as he smiled proudly. Owlflame smiled before she let her cheeks puff out a moment and let out a very loud burp, which made other customers look at them in a disgusted way. There was a few moment's pause before the two cats burst out laughing.

"Better out than in, they always say," Stonetail purred when they finished burping.

Where they went to last on their night out was to a brightly lit up tower that reached up towards the sky. Owlflame and Stonetail joined up with other cats and dogs at the top of the tower as they looked down over lit up United City. Owlflame leapt onto the rail and stared around in wonder while Stonetail smiled gently at her and pointed down below. The blue-gray she-cat did the same to another area, amazed to see the Pro-Bending arena cat-lengths away.

To her mild amazement, Stonetail smiled gently at her, his shaggy coat blowing gently in the snowy breeze, as he let her lean against him. To Owlflame, he wasn't Redblaze, but he was a very fun cat to hang out with.

**...**

When she made it back to the Pro-Bending arena, she was Redblaze sitting on the steps outside of the Pro-Bending arena. The red-orange tom was looking around, frowning, but he seemed to be frowning a lot these days. Owlflame quickly gave him a swift mew of greetings and began to pad up the stairs to the gym where Toube worked at.

But she had almost reached the top when Redblaze's growl stopped her.

"What game are you playing?"

Cheekily, Owlflame replied, "Pro-Bending. We've got a quarter-final match coming up."

Redblaze shook his head. "Not that. I mean with Stonetail. You got him all love-struck, and I know you're using him just to get back at me."

"No I'm not," Owlflame retorted, starting to get annoyed at this. She DID like Redblaze, but she would have to wait until the time was right. "We're just having fun together. Why the hell do you care anyways?"

"I'm just looking out for my little brother," Redblaze snapped back. "I don't want to see him get all crushed."

Owlflame could hear the bit of longing in his voice, and she knew why that was. He had feelings for her! So she growled, "You're not worried about him, are you? You're jealous. You DO have feelings for me."

This caught Redblaze off guard. "What? Jealous? Don't be such a mouse-brain."

"Admit it," Owlflame egged him on. "You like me."

"No, I'm mates with Emerald."

"Yeah, but you think of me when you're with her, aren't you?"

"Get over yourself!"

"I'm just being honest."

"Crazy!"

"Liar!"

They stopped growling and yowling at the continued glaring at each other. Instead of fighting, both cats turned and stalked off towards separate doors to the arena. A random gray cat padded up to Redblaze in greeting, but he was ignored as the two cats entered the arena and slammed the doors shut.

"Redblaze! Yooooooo...oh."

**...**

"Eight teams have been beaten, and eight advance into the quarter-finals which get on the move tonight. The rookies are about to take on the former and longest reigning champs: the Raptors! Youth battles experience in a battle for the ages...or rather, OF the ages!"

It was another night of the tournament, and the Fire Meerkats were facing off with their new opponents in the middle of the arena floor. Stonetail was itching to get this show on the road, watching Timon on the sidelines as he squeaked. For some odd reason, Redblaze and Owlflame hadn't talked to each other much since the date.

As soon as the bell rung, the Raptors were finished getting ready, and they and the Fire Meerkats exchanged blows, their elements collide in the air. Owlflame leapt to the side to avoid an earth disc, but then she collided into Redblaze by accident, fire and water surrounding them.

During that little scene, the radio speaker was saying, "Owlflame dodges and...ooh! Slams right into her teammate. And down goes Redblaze and Owlflame! And Stonetail too!"

For while Stonetail watched this, an earth disc flew and curved through the air at him. He got hit in the middle of his forehead and fell down into the water after his teammates. When they were let back up onto the arena, the ring announcer was calling, "Round one goes to the Raptors!"

Across from them, the Raptors were stretching and posing in victory. Stonetail just watched quietly as his brother and the Avatar Cat started to argue. Whatever was going on between their friendship seemed to worsen.

"Owlflame, what the fuck?" Redblaze snarled. "You were supposed to defend while I attacked!"

"I had an opening, so I took it!" Owlflame spat back. "Get outta my pelt, jackass!"

Stonetail didn't want his brother and friend to argue like this, in the middle of a match. So he got in between them and meowed, "Quit fighting like this! What's wrong with you two tonight?" When they didn't answer, he replied, "Whatever. Just pull it together, guys. Okay?"

Just then, the bell rang again, making Stonetail get back into the game. Right then and there, he and Redblaze started throwing fire and earth discs, making the reporter say, "The Meerkats are now looking to mount some offense here in round two."

When Stonetail kicked his earth disc, it struck the FireBender Raptor, making him get knocked back. The WaterBender flung a stream of water towards the Meerkats, and the water ended up hitting Redblaze and knocking him down just as the EarthBender Raptor got hit by a disc. Stonetail continued on with the attack, throwing out several discs with swipes and kicks and dodging arriving attacks.

Stonetail grunted and flung a disc, which struck the opposing FireBender. The opponent was soaring through the air and over the line, finally landing in the water.

"Stonetail releases a flurry of attacks! He's a one cat Bending army! The Meerkats are having a tough time finding their same tune tonight, but thanks to Stonetail, they narrowly make it to round two!"

Relieved, the brown tabby tom caught his breath a moment before smirking triumphantly. When the two teams were finished with getting ready, the bell rang, and round three began.

Owlflame swiped her paw in a wide arc, throwing a stream of water while the FireBender Raptor threw a fire blast at her. Beside her, Redblaze deflected some water and threw out his own fire blast. The WaterBender Raptor performed a roundhouse kick, making Redblaze get hit hard by the water. Stonetail got hit hard by an earth disc, and so did Owlflame.

"Not sure what's eatin' them, but this is not the same team that beat the Wallaroos! But anyways, round three is a tie! We go to a tie-breaker to decide the match!"

Hearing this, Stonetail looked up in time to see a coin being held up to the light by the referee. He turned it to show it has a red side and a blue side. Stonetail knew what that meant: a duel between two fighters by choosing which elements to fight with. So he and his teammates went over to the center until both teams were facing each other in the center, the referee in between them.

The referee tossed the coin up in the air, and the coin spun in midair and fell back down. The referee caught it and opened his hands to show the red side facing up.

"The Fire Meerkats win the coin toss. Which element do you choose for this match?"

"I'll do it," Redblaze replied, though his eyes looked tired.

But Stonetail didn't want to let his brother do this if he wasn't feeling right. So he stepped in the way and replied, "I know you usually handle these, but your head's not in the game tonight. You can't even stand on your paws! I'll take this one." He stepped forward and spoke up clearly, "We choose earth."

"We choose earth too," the black EarthBender Raptor added.

So everyone except the EarthBenders stepped away from the center ring, which rose up, creating a platform. Stonetail remembered to keep his claws sheathed, for fighting in Pro-Bending with unsheathed claws was against the rules.

"Looks like the EarthBenders will collide in the tie breaker face-off!"

Stonetail began to ready himself, looking over at the Raptor EarthBender, who did the same. By the look on Redblaze's face, he looked both indignant and tired, and so did Owlflame. He knew he had to do this for them, for if they tried, they would lose this match. The bell rang once more, and the two cats approached each other.

Each stomped the ground and summoned three discs from the ground. Stonetail kicked two while the Raptor quickly blocked with one. The black Raptor threw another at Stonetail, but the black cat blocked it with his third. The Raptor attempted to use the dust cloud to mask his movement as he leapt forward and did a flying tail slap to send his last disc out. Stonetail rolled around under him, and they switched sides. They faced each other again, and Stonetail lunged, grabbing the Raptor by the scruff and shaking him. When this was done, the other toms wrestled around until Stonetail was pinning the black tom down.

"Stonetail goes in for the grapple and shakes him around like a dog! And he goes for a pin! But what's this? Fleetclaw swipes him away!"

Quickly, the EarthBender buried his hind paws into Stonetail's belly and threw him into the air behind him. While in the air, Stonetail summoned a disc and threw it at the EarthBender Raptor, pushing him back. As the EarthBender stayed stunned, Stonetail landed on all four paws, brought up two discs, and flung them both with a tail toss.

"Stonetail strikes from mid-air, knocking Fleetclaw to the edge of the circle! Another strike from Stonetail...and Fleetclaw's in the drink."

The bell rang to signal the end of the match. Stonetail cheered loudly, leaping up and down and wagging his stumpy tail around as the crowd roared and threw streamers to his team.

"The Future Productions Fire Meerkats win their quarter-final match," the ring announcer called. "One more battle, and they go to the final match."

"That was a close shave, folks!" the radio reporter called. "Youth triumphs over experience tonight!"

As the crowd cheered some more, Stonetail could see Owlflame and Redblaze cheer a bit before they stopped. They glanced at each other a moment before looking away angrily and scowling.

Stonetail panted hard from the attack, thankful that it was all over. But he couldn't help but feel that Owlflame and Redblaze were still not talking with each other. He had no idea what was up with them, but he hoped they could get their act together soon. But tonight, they could celebrate as true teammates.

_And tonight, Owlflame and I'll celebrate harder than anyone else, _he thought, his thoughts going back to Owlflame.

**...**

Owlflame flicked a forepaw about to dislodge snow from between her paws as she sat under a gazebo outside the arena. She was sitting behind the railing and looking out across the water. She wished Redblaze could have said he liked her before, but she knew he was too proud to say a word about it. That was why she felt like she was going to lose in the previous match,

Soft padding sounds told her that a cat was coming over in her direction. And when the cat spoke, Owlflame knew who it was.

"Owlflame, we need to talk. Look, as much as you drive me crazy..."

"Save your breath," Owlflame hissed, not bothering to turn around. "You've already made it clear how you feel about me."

Redblaze retorted, "No, I haven't. What I'm trying to say is, as much as you drive me crazy, I also think you're amazing. Stonetail was right. You're a fun cat to hang with, you have a strong mind, and you're really pretty. That's all I'm saying."

This made Owlflame turn to face the ginger tom in surprise. She blushed at every word she heard as she mewed, "You think so? So, you really DO like me?

"Yes, I like you." Redblaze sighed before going on. "But...I like Emerald too. I dunno. Look, things are complicated right now. I've been feeling really confused, and I-"

But at that, Owlflame stopped his talking by rushing forth and rubbing her face to his. He looked shocked for a moment, but he purred as he nuzzled her back, making her blush. Then Redblaze pressed his ginger pelt to her slightly thicker blue-gray fur, thus sharing their body heat. At the touch of his fur and his scent wreathed around her, there was nothing that could get in their way.

But as they broke their faces away from each other and stared into each other's eyes, Owlflame saw something that made her eyes and mouth go wide in shock. She turned and looked away in shame, and Redblaze got to see what had stopped them.

His own brother was standing behind him, holding a bunch of pink roses for Owlflame, his green eyes wide with shock as Timon chirped on his shoulder. A silent passing breeze blew Stonetail's shaggy fur around and some petals off the roses. There was silence for a tick before Stonetail's face contorted as he let out a mournful (yet humorous to us) wail, tears and mucous forming around his eyes and nose.

"Stonetail, wait! This isn't what you think!" Redblaze tried to meow. But Stonetail just turned away and ran off crying loudly, dropping the flowers. Then Redblaze turned back to Owlflame, snarling, "Great, now look what you've done!"

"What I'VE done?" Owlflame spat, the brief good feeling gone. "You're blaming me?"

Redblaze growled, "Of course I am! You nuzzled me!"

Owlflame retorted, "Well, _you_ nuzzled _me_ back!"

"Rrrr!" Redblaze snarled as he ran off to find his brother. And Owlflame heard these words thrown harshly at her, "Crazy bitch!"

Owlflame growled lowly before looking down and frowning sadly after seeing him go. Now she had done it. She had caused all of the team to split up over petty causes and jealousy.

So she slammed her paw angrily at a snow pile, hissing, "Nice going, Owlflame. REAL nice."

**...**

_**Commercial Break**_

**...**

The scents of EarthClan told Redblaze that Stonetail was here, but he wanted to be sure. He could not believe he had even always come here...and especially with Owlflame.

His heart burned with anger at the thought of the Avatar Cat. It was all her fault! If she had not tried to interfere and use Stonetail, then all of this stuff would never have happened! And he knew how sensitive his brother could be.

"Morning, Pike. Is my brother here?" Redblaze asked the cat belonging to the restaurant owner.

The dark gray tabby flicked his tail over to behind Redblaze. Giving Pike a mew of thanks, he turned his head around to look, seeing Stonetail slumped over a table. Timon was lying back in a bowl, his belly swollen and full of seal meat.

He padded over to Stonetail and laid his tail on his back. Flicking his tail at his fur, he meowed, "Hey. Wake up, bro. Takin' you home."

Stonetail looked up to his brother, his face still pitiful, dark bags under his eyes and a noodle sticking out of his nose. He sniffed the noodle back up and yowled, his voice delirious with grief, "Don't call me that! You're not my brother! You're a brother _traitor_! The only one I can trust anymore is Timon! He loves me!"

Timon turned his head to look at his master and acted disinterested. Redblaze rolled his eyes and tried to get Stonetail back onto his paws.

"Stonetail, PELASE stop acting like a pussy," he sighed. "You're all messy, and we've got the biggest match of our lives tonight. Now come on. Let's go."

He laid a broad paw on his shoulder, but Stonetail pulled away from him.

"No! I'm not going with you, betrayer!" he wailed.

Redblaze sighed yet again; his brother could always act immature whenever something like this would happen. So he shrugged and mewed, "Looks like we'll have to do this the hard way. No easy way, no medium way, no other way."

So he grabbed the young tabby by the scruff and slung his whole body over his shoulder before carrying him out. Timon slipped out of the bowl, chirping like a bird while Stonetail kept on wailing, "Why? WHY?"

"See? Told you dating a teammate was a bad idea," Redblaze told him as they walked towards the door.

"YOU'RE a bad idea!" Stonetail wailed back. "Put me down! Put me down!"

Redblaze rolled his eyes at this while he carried his brother out of the restaurant. Timon flopped down to the floor and scurried after them, his full belly dragging over the floor.

**...**

The skylights sweeping back and forth could not cheer Owlflame up, not even the crowd coming over to see this match. She noticed Stonetail sitting on the bench, turning away from her and hunching over sadly; it even seemed that Toube (who was comforting him) was also angry at her by the way he was glaring at her. Owlflame looked away a moment before walking to her locker. She padded past Redblaze, who glared at her with anger before pointedly turning his back on her.

Owlflame gave a small sigh as she went to get her gear. She did not want any of this to happen at all. She had thought that they would get some smooth sailing through the competition, able to reach the championship easily. But now...because of her, things were falling apart.

When all three cats were ready to face their new foes, they all stayed silent and avoided looking at each other. Their new foes (named the Vultures) were already confident and staring down the less-than-confident Meerkats.

"You can't find two teams more matched in age, size and strength than the Fire Meerkats and the Vultures," the ring reporter began. "Believe you me, I've looked all over. This should be a pulse-pounding semi-final folks!"

The teams took their positions as the bell rang. As the match began, the Vultures jumped back a pace and started attacking in unison. The Fire Meerkats tried to dodge and deflect the incoming elements, but they ended up getting hit instead. Soon enough, Owlflame, Redblaze, and Stonetail were all pushed back into the next zone.

"The Vultures open the match with a flawlessly executed combo! All three Meerkats take an early visit to zone two!" As Redblaze deflected a water glob but was struck by yet another and knocked back again, the reporter went on, "And look! Redblaze is knocked all the way to zone three! The Fire Meerkats have been struggling to stay alive and in the game ever since the first ring of the opening bell!"

Owlflame and Stonetail carried on the attack. Stonetail ducked under a fire blast, and then he brought up two discs and threw them, deflecting another earth disc with his second. However, when he saw Owlflame looking over at him, he flinched.

"All three players are totally out of sync tonight. And oooh! That has GOT to hurt!"

Stonetail had been hit hard in the belly with a disc, making Owlflame gasp in concern. This was REALLY not what she wanted to happen. Then she saw his eyes go wide and his face turn a bit green as he staggered over to the ropes, threw his helmet off, and leaned over the side. Hearing the vomiting sounds made Owlflame look away and wince in disgust.

"And Stonetail loses his seal. Literally. Which reminds me...this match is brought to you by our sponsor, Flame-On Instant Seal. Sealiest seal meat in the United Nation!"

Hissing Owlflame made a jumping spinning crescent kick to dodge a water blast, but she was hit in midair by a disc and sent over the line. The Vultures were advancing into zone two while the Meerkats still remained in zone three.

The Meerkats got ready quickly and attacked, while the Vultures all defended themselves and struck back. Redblaze dodged a fire blast and deflected some water while dodging an earth disc and another fire blast, but he was then hit by another earth disc. This caused him to fall over the edge and into the water.

"The Vultures fly deeper into Meerkat territory. And Redblaze plunges into the pool. Can the Fire Meerkats hold on? Looks like the Vultures have them backed up to the edge now!"

Owlflame and Stonetail tried their best to dodge and deflect more attacks. Just then, Owlflame became aware that one of her back paws was coming very close to the edge. And right when they were about to fall over the edge, the bell rang.

"And the Meerkats are saved by the bell. They better pull themselves together for round two, or they can kiss the finals goodbye!"

The Vultures turned to leave, each dropping their element and looking confident. Owlflame and Stonetail caught their breath, then they sighed in relief. They turned around on their spot to see Redblaze riding the platform back up from below. Owlflame knew Redblaze was still angry at her, and Stonetail looked like he didn't want to be comforted. Then the bell rang, and the second round began.

Soon enough, the Meerkats began attacking while the Vultures defended themselves and struck back. Redblaze quickly deflected an earth disc with a strong kick, but he was struck by a second one and knocked over the line. He landed on his paws and shot a strong blast of fire only to hit Stonetail in the back, knocking him on his face.

"Hey! Watch it, jackass!" Stonetail spat angrily, sitting up and glaring at his brother.

Owlflame winced at this new behavior. Usually, Stonetail was a very friendly cat...until she had broken his heart. But while Stonetail wasn't looking, he got hit by the WaterBender Vulture and sent over the edge of the arena.

"The Vultures take advantage of Redblaze's effortless error and Stonetail's now in the pool."

Owlflame was deflecting streams of water, pulling out a stream of her own from the grates, first to attack, and then she sent it towards the FireBender Vulture. She then wrapped it around the tabby she-cat's leg and tripped her before sending her into the air with a geyser of water from the grate below.

"Ooh, and a blatant hold by the Avatar Cat!" the reporter called. "What's eating her tonight?"

A whistle blew, and Owlflame turned to see the referee holding up a hand and calling, "Needless roughness! Move back one Zone!"

This caused the crowd to boo, so Owlflame roared, "I'll needless rough YOU up!"

So she pulled some water out and threw it very hard at the referee. The referee shielded himself from the splash and pulled out a yellow fan.

"And the Avatar Cat is slapped with the yellow fan. The Meerkats are their own worst enemy tonight," the reporter called. "It's just sad to watch. With the Vultures leading two rounds to zippo, the Meerkats' only hope of winning is a knockout."

Owlflame huffed an angry sigh and shrugged as she stalked back a zone. Redblaze was watching her, but now his amber eyes were tired and defeated instead of angry. Meanwhile, one of the Vultures was helping his injured teammate back up. As soon as all the Meerkats regrouped, they began discussing the match.

"Well, there's always next year," Redblaze sighed.

Even though they had all been losing the match, Owlflame didn't want to give up easily. And she didn't want her teammates to give up because of her. So she told the brothers, "Come on, guys. We still have a chance! Even if it IS a slim one."

"But we don't even deserve to be in the finals," Stonetail mewed sadly. "I mean, look at how we're playing now!"

"Look, if we don't hold on together and work as a team, we can't forgive ourselves," Owlflame told them, surprising even herself. It looked like Sunstar's teaching were starting to reach her.

To further her surprise, Redblaze didn't even object. Instead, he got to his paws and sighed, "Fine. Let's get this over with. The sooner, the better."

He and his brother hung their heads as they trooped sadly to the center. Owlflame did the same, hoping that their spirits could be lifted up sooner. If not...then she would have to blame herself for all the trouble they went through. And just in time, the three of them took their positions and their stances. Just the bell rang, the final round began.

When the match started, Owlflame ducked under an earth disc while the Vultures attacked with a lot of pressure. Redblaze got hit back by a stream of water, but he dodged another stream and a disc and attacked back before getting hit in the side by fire and stumbling behind Stonetail. The brown tabby tom stomped and used a disc to block a flow of water, but he quickly got hit by a disc, followed by another rush of water. He was tossed back across the line and past his brother, who deflected a fire blast. Redblaze was distracted by seeing his brother get hurt and was hit by a disc, pushing him back and making his hind paws skid over the line.

The brothers composed themselves while the EarthBender Vulture popped up two discs and sent them flying with a hook swipe and spinning kick. Stonetail dodged one, but he got struck in the shoulder by the other, making him yowl in pain. He was knocked against the ropes and fell to the side and to the ground, his teeth bared to endure the pain.

"Stonetail gets knocked into zone two followed quickly by his brother! And Stonetail takes a zinger to the shoulder. Looks like it's a clean hit!"

"Stonetail!" Redblaze yowled as he saw his brother in an injured state. But while he wasn't looking, he was hit by a blast of fire and sent over the edge of the arena again.

"Redblaze is in the drink and out of the match! And Stonetail tries to keep in the game with one good paw! I gotta 'paw' it to him, but this cat's got spunk! But how long can he keep it up?"

Stonetail pulled himself up by the ropes and brought up a disc to fling back. Owlflame leapt to the side to avoid a fire blast while Stonetail kicked a disc past her head, making her looked back at him with confusion. The discs missed a water blast and some other discs as Owlflame dodged one of the discs, which curved around and knocked Stonetail's remaining paws out from under him. As soon as he was winded, he was hit with the flow of water and sent flying over the edge. Owlflame looked back before barely dodging a disc and deflecting some water, throwing a river of water back. She managed to dodge several attacks with AirBending style movements and skill, leaping back towards the edge of the zone.

"Apparently not long. The Meerkats' big dream of making it to the final now rests on the Avatar Cat's shoulders. But with three on one I don't like her odds."

**(Author's Note: Once again, like with the original series, this will change POV.)**

Redblaze watched on with concern as Stonetail climbed the ladder up from the pool. To his relief, his brother made it to the top, groaning and stopping to catch his breath. So Redblaze padded over to the edge, grabbing his scruff and giving him a small smile. Stonetail nodded, so the ginger tom pulled him up to the ground, where Stonetail started licking his injured shoulder.

"You okay?" Redblaze mewed, standing beside his brother. "How's your shoulder?"

"Rrrr...it's messed up pretty bad. But I think I'll be alright," Stonetail grunted as the two brothers padded over to the lift and rode it up. There was a short moment of silence before Stonetail broke it. "Are we...gonna be okay?"

Redblaze nodded. "Yeah. We're brothers. We'll get through this. I'm sorry about our arguments and stuff."

Stonetail replied, "Me too. She-cats."

"Seriously," Redblaze added with a scoff. But he was just kidding.

But as soon as they reached the top, they saw something that made their hearts drop. Owlflame was still on the platform, dodging the Vultures' attacks, but with three on one, things were not looking so good. However, the reporter was calling, "What an unbelievable effort here tonight by Owlflame. She's dodging everything the Vultures throw at her!"

Owlflame performed a jumping tornado kick and threw a large glob of water with it. It struck the FireBender Vulture and knocked her into zone three. The EarthBender watched his teammate fly past him before popping up a disc and doing a jumping roundhouse kick to throw it at Owlflame. He was quickly followed up by the WaterBender throwing a stream of water with a hooking claw swipe. Owlflame leapt into the air to dodge the attacks and used her energy to do another tornado kick and hit the WaterBender, knocking him to the side.

"The Avatar finally gains some ground but with only ten second remaining it might be too little too late," the reporter said, making Redblaze worry for her. He was angry at what she had done, but he did not want to cause any arguments if they lost.

The Vultures were now each in a different zone and all lined up as Owlflame created a ring of water around her. Then the blue-gray she-cat spun around and crouched down, making the water spin around her. She charged up her attack and then redirected the spinning ring, shooting it as a torrent towards the Vultures. The torrent hit the WaterBender, knocking him backwards into the EarthBender, then knocking them into the FireBender and sending them all over the edge. She had triumphed.

"It's the big bash, everyone! What a knockout! It didn't seem possible at first, folks, but the Fire Meerkats are heading to the finals!"

The bell rung, and the crowd went wild, camera lights flickering and people or cats cheering. In the locker room, Redblaze and Stonetail were cheering triumphantly; they were going to the finals at last. Redblaze gave his brother a big hug, causing him to wince in pain.

"Ack!" Stonetail groaned. "Shoulder! Shoulder!"

"Sorry," Redblaze meowed, remembering just in time about the injured shoulder.

And just when he let his brother go, Owlflame entered the locker room. Redblaze felt the anger towards her fade away until it was replaced by pride for her. If it weren't for her, they would never make it to the finals.

**(Author's Note: Switching POVs again.)**

"That was the coolest freakin' thing I've ever seen," Stonetail purred, his stumpy tail wagging faster than before.

Redblaze nodded before turning back to Owlflame. "Thanks for not giving up on us. We never would've made it without you. I owe you big time, Owlflame."

"You're welcome," Owlflame replied, smiling. Then her face gave way to shame and mewed, "I'm sorry I messed everything up these past couple of days. I know things are confusing right now, but I hope we can still be friends."

"Of course we can," Redblaze meowed, giving her a warm look. "Friends till the end."

This made Owlflame look up at him with a bright smile.

But just then, the door opened, and a new team walked in. Batwing and the Vampire Bats had just entered the locker room, wearing their gear. Batwing scented the air and stopped walking, his face crunching in disgust as he pointed his nose into the air.

"Hey, you boys smell something in here?" the white-pawed black tom jeered as his lips peeled back at some made-up stench. "Wait, I know what that is. That's the stench of losers."

Owlflame glared at him angrily. "I _hope_ we see you in the finals. Then we'll see who the losers _really_ are!"

Batwing sneered as he put on his gear. "Oh please. I'm pissing myself with fright over here."

With that, the black tom padded over to where his teammates were standing on the platform and being introduced.

"And here are the defending champs: the Whitewater Vampire Bats!" the ring announcer called, making Owlflame growl and unsheathe her claws. But as she did so, she saw Emerald running up to Redblaze and giving him a hug. Stonetail smiled at this and grunted as he made his way slowly to the bench to sit down.

"Great job!" Emerald purred to Redblaze, a happy look in her beautiful green eyes. Turning to Owlflame, she meowed, "Owlflame, that was a really great comeback! I've never seen a hat trick like that before!"

"Thanks," Owlflame mewed, blushing a bit at the praise. "But if it wasn't for you and your dad, we wouldn't have made it this far. So thank you."

And as she meowed this out loud, she realized that she meant what she said. No matter how jealous she had been with Emerald being Redblaze's mate, she knew she could always support them through thick or thin. There would always be a chance someday, but now was a time to cheer and celebrate.

"Hey, if everyone's done with the thank-you-and-congrats party, need some medical attention over here!"

It was Stonetail. The brown tabby tom was gently licking the bruise on his shoulder.

"Let me help," Owlflame offered, padding over to him and touching his bruise. However, this just made him yowl in pain.

Stonetail groaned, "Argh! Haven't you hurt me enough, woman?" But there was a gentle teasing gleam in his eyes as he meowed this.

Owlflame purred, "Relax, buddy. I can heal with WaterBending. Silverheart taught me how to heal, and she's the best there is at it!"

She had remembered when she was an apprentice, when Silverheart started teaching her how to WaterBend. She had even heard about when Silverheart first started to learn how to heal after being badly burnt by accident by Goldstar. Owlflame had been eager to learn from the old silver tabby she-cat, for she knew she had known her for her entire life.

So Owlflame Bended the water from a nearby bucket of ice water and brought it to Stonetail's broad shoulder. It began to glow before she brought her paws to the bruise and started healing. Stonetail started to protest, but Owlflame could tell by the look on his face that he started to find it soothing.

"Ahhh...that hits the spot," Stonetail sighed as his muscles relaxed.

Owlflame smiled a little bit before feeling ashamed again. She knew she should never have started this fight with the brothers, confessing her feelings to one and breaking the heart of the other. So she mewed, "Stonetail, I'm so sorry I hurt your feelings. I didn't mean to let things get so out of control."

To her relief, Stonetail shrugged slightly and smiled. "Ah, it's okay. We still had fun together, right?"

"I had a great time, to tell you the truth," Owlflame mewed, giving him a small smile in return. "You're one of a kind, Stonetail."

"Please, go on. I enjoy praise," the tabby EarthBender purred with a smug grin.

The sounds of bells and buzzers were heard from the Vampire Bats' match. And suddenly...so soon...the final bell signaling the end of the match rang for all to hear. All four cats in the locker room looked around, Owlflame dropping the water to the floor.

"Here are your winners, the Vampire Bats!"

"What? How is it over already?" Owlflame yelped. She and the brother went to see what was going on, only to see the Bats gloating in victory and waving to the crowd.

"With a brutal round and one knockout, the defending champs secure their spot in the finals! I hope the Meerkats know a good vet, because they're gonna need one!" the ring reporter called out.

The cats the Bats were facing off against were being pulled from the water. Two of them were laid out on stretchers, groaning in agony about wounds. And then, as the comatose WaterBender was dragged out of the water, Owlflame saw why this knockout happened. And it also made her blood boil on the inside.

Blood was splattered over this cat's head, some of it even leaking around his closed eyes. The helmet he wore was being picked up from the water, its lenses cracked, and his claws looked like they had been ripped from their paws. He even had some blood trickle from his jaws and into the water, which was slowly turning red from the blood.

Owlflame felt her blood chill at the sight of these injured players. Batwing and his teammates weren't just powerful fighters; they were also ruthless and cruel. She had no idea this cat now posed a serious threat to her and her teammates, and by the way the brothers looked, they were also worried. But despite her fears, she knew they could not back down now.

_StarClan help us get through this!_

_**To be continued...**_

**...**

**Korra: Good to have this chapter done with! I mean...I couldn't take the guilt anymore.**

**AvatarCat12: You said it, Korra. And Bolin was right; you ARE one of a kind. In fact, I call you the three B's...brave, beautiful, and bodacious!**

**Korra: (Blushes a tiny bit) Hey, thanks, Avatar Cat. You're one cool guy.**

**AvatarCat12: No problem. Would you like to say the review thing and the preview for "And The Winner Is..."?**

**Korra: Sure! (To the readers) Read and review, ladies and gents! Those of you who do will get a plush doll of our cat versions...including Tahno. Don't send any flames or I'll cool 'em down with WaterBending, but advice and constructive criticism are welcome anytime!**

**Preview: Now that all the tensions of romance have been lifted, Owlflame and her friends are ready for the final Pro-Bending match! But will Batwing prove to be too much of a challenge? And what will Anubis be plotting about this time?**

**Both: See ya next time!**


	7. And The Winner Is

**AvatarCat12: Hey guys! Korra isn't here for now, since she's off for practicing the Avatar State. And I'm also eager for Book 2 to come out. So give a warm welcome to...Master Tenzin, youngest son of Aang and Katara!**

**Tenzin: (Walks in and nods solemnly to AvatarCat12) Greetings, Avatar Cat. Korra had told me about this series, a blend of our series and this Warrior Cats book. So I've come over to see this before my eyes.**

**AvatarCat12: (Bows in return) It's nice to meet you, Master Tenzin. Korra's lucky to have an AirBending mentor like you. So would you like to say the disclaimer thing today, sir?  
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**Tenzin: (Smiles) Certainly.  
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**Disclaimer: You all know this, everyone. AvatarCat12 will never own Legend Of Korra or Warrior Cats. Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, and Erin Hunter own them both. And the song coming up here is owned by the late Louis Armstrong.  
><strong>

**Summary: ****Now that all the tensions of romance have been lifted, Owlflame and her friends are ready for the final Pro-Bending match! But will Batwing prove to be too much of a challenge? And what will Anubis be plotting about this time?**

**Uploading Date: September 10, 2012**

**Both: Enjoy!**

**...**

_**And The Winner Is...**_

_I see trees of green_

_Red roses too_

_I see 'em bloom_

_For me and for you _

_And I think to myself_

_What a wonderful world. _

Stonetail kicked tow earth discs into a net before tossing up two more discs and throwing them. Redblaze threw out three fireballs with a two paw swipe combo while Owlflame Bended a glob of water and tossed it around. Each different element hit three photos of Batwing hanging on a clothesline as each different element hits each one, destroying them.

Owlflame felt proud of her training, raising her tail up happily. She was happy that the romantic tension was gone, so they could concentrate on their training again. Her friendship with Redblaze and Stonetail was restored, and their minds were clear once again. They were now ready to face Batwing and the Vampire Bats sometime soon.

"You're listening to The Music Hour...brought to you by Lettuce Corp, United City's trusted name in technology for seven years," the radio was speaking. "And here's a continuation of _What A Wonderful World, _one of the most sensational songs we have!"

_I see skies of blue_

_Clouds of white _

_Bright blessed days_

_Dark sacred nights _

_And I think to myself_

_What a wonderful world._

"Great StarClan! I got a good feeling about tonight," Owlflame purred, wiping her face on a nearby towel. "I don't care if we're the underdogs now! We can beat those pompous Vampire Bats!"

"It'll be our toughest match ever, but I think you're right," Redblaze meowed in reply, giving her a smile.

At this, Stonetail came over and wrapped a foreleg around Redblaze, imitating a Pro-Bending announcer. "Introducing your new champs: the fantastic Firrreee...Meerkats!"

Owlflame watched the brothers fool around, letting a smile come across her face. The three of them had trained hard, even trying to get through the romantic tensions that had come around days ago. Now that they were working hard again, there was no way they could lose. Except for one thing...

Just when her happy thoughts came about, static suddenly came onto the radio, and a new voice made Timon squeak and jump away from it in fright. Owlflame stared around in surprise and horror; it was the voice of Anubis that was speaking. She padded cautiously towards the radio, the brothers following her.

"Good morning, cats of United City. This is Anubis," the hypnotizing meow of the white tom spoke. "I hope you all enjoyed last night's Pro-Bending match, because it will become the last you will ever see. It is time for this city to stop worshipping Bending players as if they were war heroes. I call on the council of United City to shut down the Pro-Bending arena and cancel the finals. Or there will be severe consequences."

Static came over to the radio, and the transmission went out.

All three cats looked at each other in worry. Anubis had a lot of nerve to take cats' Bending away from them...but forcing them to give up Pro-Bending? They couldn't do that!

"Damn. That guy's got a lot of nerve to do that," Stonetail muttered.

"You really think the council will give in to him?" Redblaze wondered, his amber eyes wide.

Owlflame hissed, "I'm not sticking around here to find out. We need to get to the City Hall."

**...**

The City Hall wasn't that far away, for they had arrived on Nisa in just around twenty minutes. They ran over to the doors as Owlflame leapt forth and forced them open. Once they got inside, they had no problem where the council was at. They could see all the council members sitting at the table inside, Hawkfrost included.

"Owlflame?" the AirClan leader asked in surprise, standing up. "What are you doing here? This is a closed meeting. Only the cats of the council are allowed in these meetings."

"As the Avatar Cat and a Pro-Bending player, I have a right to be heard," Owlflame replied, stepping forth as her friends followed her. "You can't cancel the finals."

Sunstar gave her a mild concerned look. "Look, I know winning the championship means a lot to you. But for safety measures, we need to shut the arena down."

Owlflame let out a small hiss, unable to hear her AirBending mentor say such a thing. Turning to the other cats, she hissed, "What about the rest of you lot? Hawkfrost, there's no way you'll ever back down from Anubis, right?"

"Actually, Sunstar and I agree with this for once," the gray-&-white tom replied, sneaking a side glance at Sunstar.

"The council is unanimous," Sunstar concluded. "We're closing the arena."

Redblaze and Stonetail let out yowls of protest while Owlflame stood there, frozen. Were these cats so scared of Anubis that they would give in to his demands? Were they really going to hide like mice while the Equalist leader wreaked havoc on United City?

"I don't understand," she hissed, glaring at Hawkfrost. "I thought _you_ of all cats would want to take a stand against Anubis."

Hawkfrost fixed her with his frosty blue stare. "Of course I still want to bring that lunatic to justice. But I will not put innocent lives in danger just so you and your friends can play a silly little game."

To Owlflame's wonder, Redblaze stepped in. "Pro-Bending might only be a..._silly little game_ to you, but think of what it means to the city." He sounded more passionate as he went on, "Right now, the arena is the one place where Benders and non-Benders alike can gather together...in peace. To watch Bending cats-"

"Beat each other up!" Stonetail added dramatically. When the others gave him weird glances, the tabby tom added, "In peace! It's an inspiration to everyone!"

_Exactly as they said! _Owlflame found herself wanting to yowl. _Just PLEASE keep it open!_

"I appreciate your simple optimism, but you're ignoring the reality of the situation," Hawkfrost just told them.

"The reality is...if you close the arena, you're going to let Anubis win," Owlflame retorted.

Stonetail nodded. "Yeah! Exactly what she said."

But Hawkfrost's look did not change. Instead, he meowed, "I'm sorry, but our decision has been made. This meeting is finished."

Then he picked up his gavel, fixing to strike it down. Owlflame was just going to give up and see the decision be laid down when she saw a metal cable fly above their heads. As Hawkfrost laid the gavel down, the metal cable reached it and smashed it to pieces. Hawkfrost looked up in pure surprise as Owlflame and her friends looked to see who the newcomer was.

Shard Bei Fong was standing near the entrance, retracting the cable. With a small spark, the cable was pulled back into her armor. Owlflame never realized that she was now more than confused to see the dusky brown she-cat here.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually agree with the Avatar Cat," Shard was meowing.

"You do?" both Hawkfrost and Owlflame mewed at the same time.

Shard nodded. "Yes. I expected this kind of run and hide fox-dung from Sunstar, but the rest of you? Come on! Show a little more spine! It's time that the Benders of this city displayed some strength and unison against these Equalists."

Owlflame turned to her in a mixture of shock and joy. _She's actually with us on this?_

However, Sunstar snapped, "We are trying to prevent the conflict between Benders and non-Benders from escalating into an extreme war! The council will not change its decision."

"Now wait a minute," Hawkfrost meowed to the golden tom. "You're not the leader of this council, Sunstar. Let us hear what our honored Chief of Police has in mind."

Sunstar snorted, but he turned away without any arguments.

"If you keep the arena open..." Shard began meowing, "...my MetalBenders and I shall provide extra security during the finals tonight. There's no matter force to deal with the chi-blockers. Our armor is resistant to their attacks."

Owlflame swore she saw a smirk appearing on Hawkfrost's face as he meowed, "Are you saying that you will take full responsibility for the safety of the audiences in the arena?"

Shard nodded again. "I promise."

"It's hard to argue with Chief Bei Fong's track record," the WaterClan cat meowed. "If she is confident, her officers can protect the arena, then she has my fullest support. I hereby change my vote." He lifted his paw into the air as he called, "Who else is with me?"

The other three council members raised their paws too, but Sunstar looked away and shook his great shaggy head. At this, Hawkfrost meowed, "Very well then. The arena stays open. Good luck in the finals tonight, you three!"

"Alright!" Stonetail yelped.

"Yeah!" Redblaze cheered.

"Thank you!" Owlflame yowled. She couldn't believe it; with Shard's help, Pro-Bending was still in session.

Hawkfrost nodded. "And...good luck to you, Chief Bei Fong."

However, Sunstar still did not look convinced. Instead, he leapt down from the table all the cats were sitting on and padded over towards Shard. Owlflame could hear him mutter "Shard? A word please," before padding past her.

Deciding to find out what was wrong with him, the blue-gray she-cat slipped past her friends and followed the two older cats.

**...**

Owlflame had just started to go around the corner, deciding to thank Shard for what she did, when she heard whispering. She padded around the corner to see Sunstar talking with Shard, their heads low and their whiskers quivering. As she got nearer, Owlflame heard her mentor continue to speak.

The large golden tom was meowing, "Shard, Hawkfrost is just trying to fool you. I don't want to see you getting hurt."

"I know what I'm doing and the risks that come with it," Shard simply replied.

Sunstar sighed. "Well then, I'll be by your side during the finals."

Shard glared over at him, her green eyes narrowing. "You don't need to babysit me, Sunstar. I'm not a kit."

"I know that," Sunstar retorted. "But it's for Owlflame. I just want to make sure she's safe. As her mentor, I agreed to keep her safe."

"Fine," Shard snarled, standing up and starting to pad away. "Do what you want. It's not like I've never tried to stop you before."

Remembering what she came over here for, Owlflame decided to pad over to Shard to thank her. She knew the dusky brown she-cat still disliked her, but it was better to at least thank her than try and be an enemy.

"Excuse me, Shard. I wanted to thank you for your help. It really...means a lot..." She trailed off as Shard stalked past her without even noticing her. When she was gone, Owlflame spat, "Ugh! What the hell is her problem? Even when she's on my side, she's against me!"

Ignoring the foul language, her mentor replied, "I have known Shard ever since we were kits. She's always been...challenging."

Owlflame looked back to where Shard went off to. "What did Goldstar do to make her hate the Avatar Cat so much?"

"My father and Shard got along well. Remember, he and her mother Nightfoot were friends and saved the world," Sunstar reminded her. He hung his head and looked away as he added, "I'm afraid her issues are with me."

Hearing this, Owlflame recalled something. Dawnfall had told her and the kits about Sunstar having a mate before her and how she confessed her love for him. And she recalled how sharp Shard had been when Sunstar came to pick Owlflame up from the police station.

"Wait, it all makes sense now!" she meowed, her tail waving. "You and Shard...Shard and you! You two were mates once!"

"What?! How..." The AirClan leader looked nervous as he started checking to see if anyone else was around. He turned back around to hiss, "Where did you get that idea from?!"

Owlflame smirked. "Dawnfall told me once."

Sunstar let out a small swear. "By StarClan's whiskers...I'll need to have a talk with her."

"So..." Owlflame went on smugly. "Dawnfall stole you from Shard, huh? I'm surprised our esteemed Chief of Police didn't throw her in prison."

"Oh she tried," Sunstar muttered in a snarky tone. He went on, sounding wistful, "But Dawnfall didn't steal me from Shard, not at all. Shard and I have just been growing apart for some time. We both had different goals in life, and we...wait, why am I even telling you this?!" he suddenly snapped. "It all happened moons ago and we've moved past it!"

Owlflame continued to grin at him. "Hmm...apparently, Shard hasn't."

Sunstar looked startled. "What do you...of course she has! And this is none of your business! Good day!" At this, he turned around and stalked away, his tail held high.

"See you later, Mr. HeartBender!" she called after him playfully.

**...**

Anubis looked down at several trucks being loaded with crates from a balcony. He was sure his plan would work; almost every plan he had ever made had always worked out. Soon, the Pro-Benders would have to abandon the Pro-Bending arena, and he would make sure United City was equalized. He would make sure to make Benders grasp that they weren't the most important cats in the world.

The scent of his Deputy told Anubis that the black-furred tom had approached him. Usually, he would challenge any cat who approached him without question to a fight. But his Deputy was a loyal cat, so he decided to let this one slide.

"We just got word," the black cat meowed. "The council challenged your threat. They're keeping the Pro-Bending arena open. "

Anubis flicked his ears, partly surprised at this. But he knew something like that would happen. So he chuckled darkly, "Perfect. Everything is going as arranged."

**...**

_**Commercial Break**_

**...**

"All clear, Chief."

Shard nodded as her officers' dogs kept sniffing around the arena, looking for any places to secure. She and her MetalBenders had arrived to keep the arena safe while the finals took place in a few more hours. Outside, Shard had arranged for police boats to patrol the surrounding bay and for zeppelins to scout the skies. This place would be more secure than a fox's den; if her mother was still alive, she would be proud of her.

A set of pawsteps heralded the arrival of Sunstar. Shard did not turn around to greet him, but she acknowledged his presence by flicking her ears at him.

"How is the security sweep going?" he asked her.

"Fine."

"They've checked under the stands?"

"Yes."

Sunstar nodded. "And you have enough officers to cover all points of admission?"

Shard turned to him, annoyed at him trying to protect her. "I have the skies, the bay, and every little spot of this place covered. Now leave me alone and let me do my job."

"Shard, with so much on the line, it would be nice if we could help each other out," Sunstar told her softly. "At least for one night."

This made Shard turn around, feeling her heart soften a little. She had no idea the golden tom would still care for her even though they weren't mates anymore. "Like old times?" she asked.

Sunstar nodded. "Yes. Like old times."

Shard felt a small smile come across her face before hiding it right away. "Okay. I'll try to be less _rough_ than usual."

"I would appreciate that," the AirClan leader meowed, dipping his head to her.

**...**

"The anticipation is intense as we are just moments away from the championship match. Will the Vampire Bats' ferocity help them repeat as champs? Or will the runner-up Fire Meerkats serve up a surprising bowl of smackdown soup?"

Owlflame knew zeppelins would be flying around the arena, scouting for Equalists while the spotlights shone in the sky. Not only that, but she also had seen boats cruising around in the bay in case the Equalists tried to strike from the water. Beside her, her friends were beside her as they eagerly waited for the match to arrive.

Stonetail was talking with Timon, who was dressed up in a little battle outfit. "I know there's a big crowd, but don't be nervous, little buddy. You're gonna do great. I believe in you."

Timon just gave a squeak, tilting his head and twitching his ears at his master. Owlflame gave them an amused smile, which Stonetail returned. Now that all three cats were getting along again, there was no way they could lose this one. When the Meerkats finished adjusting their gear in the locker area, they padded out to the middle platform, which began to rise up. They could see the ring announcer with arms raised and a microphone in one hand. The spotlights all united on him.

"Introducing the challengers: The Future Productions Fire Meerkats!"

Owlflame purred in amusement when she saw three kits dressed up as her and her two friends cheering. All three cats padded to the floor on the platform with a spotlight on them. When they arrived, Owlflame and Redblaze waved their tails to the crowd while Stonetail posed with Timon on his shoulder.

Over to the side, they could see Emerald and Romulus Sato sitting in balcony seats, sitting up and waving to the team. Emerald gave Redblaze a smile and a seductive wink, which Redblaze returned. Owlflame sighed in disgust and frowned, but she hid this just in time; she had promised to not be jealous of them anymore.

The platform finally reached the floor, and the Fire Meerkats stepped off. Stonetail wagged his stumpy tail and turned to Timon, whispering, "You're on, Timon."

The meerkat's body stiffened for a moment before he jumped to the floor and did a paw stand while chirping. He performed another flip just as Stonetail pulled an earth disc from the floor with Bending and made a bigger hole in the middle. Timon did two back flips and leapt through the disc, jumping back through and landing on his front paw.

"Yes!" Stonetail cheered. "Nailed it! Aww, he's so talented," he added to Redblaze, smiling down at Timon. His brother rolled his eyes, yet he gave Stonetail a supportive smile.

Then the spotlight on them turned off as the ring announcer called, "And their opponents, the three time defending champions: The Whitewater Vampire Bats!"

Bating and his team had just arrived, wearing bat masks and long black capes with high collars pulled around them. Then they spread their capes like bat wings and howled like wolves while the spotlight shone on them. Bright pyrotechnics fired a display of sparks behind them. This made Owlflame glower at them some more.

As the pyrotechnics and fireworks fired off all around the arena, their mates were in the audience, cheering or howling or crying until their eyes were runny. The Fire Meerkats' fans were yowling in disapproval and giving them some rude paw signs. Stonetail snorted as he tickled Timon's head with his paw.

"They've got nothing on us, buddy. Anybody can howl." Then he tried to do the same, but since it was small, he shrugged and mewed, "...eh, whatever."

The Vampire Bats were now lined in a single row and more evenly lit. Batwing lowered his tail and threw his mask off dramatically before taking the cape off. The black tom was smiling in a very arrogant way, making Owlflame's blood boil.

"Rrrr...I'm gonna knock his stupid hair off his stupid head!" she spat.

Everyone lined up and ready to attack as the ring reporter called, "The champs and challengers face off at the center line...and here we go!"

So the bell rang, and the match began.

Right away, Batwing lunged at Owlflame, who pulled back in surprise as he came at her with a water-covered paw swipe. Owlflame leapt backwards out of the way as the water shot into the air. Then Batwing followed it up with a spinning kick and sent an arc of water at her, hitting her. Withstanding the attack, Owlflame looked over to see Redblaze sending a torching fire blast at the rival gray EarthBender, who jumped to avoid it and popped up two discs when he landed, sending them at Redblaze with a double spinning kick.

The ginger tom swiped at the disc, and it shattered against his claws. The EarthBender pushed Redblaze back with more discs and pushed him a bit over the line. Out of a corner of Owlflame's eye, she could see the Vampire Bat FireBender leap at Stonetail, avoiding an earth disc kicked at him. The disc bounced off the ropes and collided with the FireBender before he could react in time, sending him tumbling back into the ropes.

"Batwing tries to kick the Avatar Cat around the block with some dirty water boxing. Jumpcloud shakes off Redblaze's attack and returns the favor. Moosetail gets fancy with Stonetail, but then he rebounds a disc off the ropes and says 'No thank you!'"

"Nice shot!" Redblaze called to his brother.

Batwing, who was recovering from an attack, glared over at his teammate getting up, and then he glared at the Fire Meerkats before rushing forward. The black tom blocked an attack coming from Owlflame and made a counter attack with one spinning movement. Seeing this, Owlflame leapt out of the way.

"The WaterBenders slug it out, looking evenly matched!" After that, Batwing spun around, summoning a lot of water before hosing Stonetail with it, knocking him back to the last territory. Recalling that this was against the rules, Owlflame heard the announcer call, "Batwing gets a little too worked up and unleashes a deluge on Stonetail. This'll certainly cause a foul."

But to Owlflame's disbelief, the bell rang, and the Vampire Bats advanced into the next territory. This prompted the announcer to say, "Or not."

"What the hell, ref?" Redblaze spat at the referee. "That was a hosing foul!"

However, the referee signaled for them to keep playing. Redblaze glared over at him before getting into his stance, and the teams started battling again.

"And the Vampire Bats advance despite Batwing exceeding the WaterBending time limit," the ring announcer went on. "A questionable call by the officials."

Then the dirty playing came up again. The Vampire Bat EarthBender raised a disc up from under one of Redblaze's paws, making him stumble. The EarthBender followed it up by kicking a disc at the ginger tom while he was caught off guard, hitting him square in the chest and sending him over the line. Then Owlflame heard the announcer called, "And Jumpcloud trips Redblaze with another dirty trick.

Unknowingly to them, Sunstar and Shard were watching them from the stands, their gray and green eyes following each movement. When the foul move had been made, Sunstar stood up straight.

"Oh come on, refs!" the large golden tom yowled angrily. "There was some funny business in that last play!"

"I didn't know you knew the rules of Pro-Bending," Shard meowed in a slight teasing way.

Sunstar nodded. "I've had practice. But anyways, that Vampire Bat obviously Bended a disc outside of his zone!"

Owlflame and her team were backed into the next zone as Batwing and the FireBender Vampire Bat rushed forth. Batwing swiped his paw low and sent a sheet of water over the floor while the FireBender swiped low, making a fire blast. Stonetail leapt over the sheet of water, but the water froze beneath him, causing him to slip when he landed. Then the fire blast hit him, and the tabby tom was sent over the edge and into the water.

"Looks like Batwing snuck in an illegal icing move, but once again, there's no callout. I don't know what match the refs are watching, but it's not this one," the announcer said. "Oooh, it's a splash-&-clash that sends the Avatar Cat to zone three as well!"

Just then, the EarthBender and Batwing both attacked Owlflame and pushed her over the line, letting them advance. All three Vampire Bats attacked at once, but Redblaze stepped in front of Owlflame to defend her, attempting to block with a burst of fire. However, the attack was way too strong, and both cats were knocked over the edge. But Owlflame had an idea: she hung onto the edge with one paw, Redblaze holding on to her tail.

As Batwing and his team turned away to wave to the crowd, the announcer called, "Wow! It's a knockout! The Vampire Bats win the championship for the fourth year in a...wait a second! Cut that! The Meerkats are still in...but just barely!"

For Owlflame put her plan in action, grunting and struggling to pull Redblaze up. She began to swing them side to side until she was able to toss the ginger cat back onto the arena floor. When he landed on his paws, Redblaze instantly kicked, sending a fire ball at Batwing while his back was turned and knocking him over the line. The other Vampire Bats turned around in surprise while Batwing stood back up, looking furious.

Redblaze smirked at the black tom while getting into a battle stance, winking slightly. Owlflame was happy for him to score a cheap shot like the Bats had done against them. It was big time for payback.

"What an amazing move!" the ring announcer called. "These Fire Meerkats aren't just Bending the elements; they're Bending my mind! The runner ups survive to see round two!"

So time was given for the two groups to regroup and discuss battle tactics. Owlflame recalled how the referee had been behaving at the match; it was as if he was helping the other side cheat and win.

"What the hell is wrong with these refs?!" she spat.

"They're being paid," Redblaze replied. "It's the only explanation. Someone wants us to lose this match."

Owlflame glared over at the Vampire Bats. "We'll have to fight dirty like the Vampire Bats if they want to play dirty!"

But Redblaze shook his head, Stonetail nodding. "That's not a good idea. The refs have it out for us. We have to win this round by fighting fair and square."

"Rrrr...that's no fun," Owlflame huffed. "...but okay."

"Round two!"

The bell rang, and the two teams began to fight, the referee watching from the balcony. At the same time, the reporter called, "The opening salvo is a brutal call as both sides give it their all, but what's this? Batwing once again sneaks in a little ice to get the upper paw!"

Owlflame and Batwing were trading swiping blows. Owlflame dodged his attack and leapt forth to strike him back, but the sound of ice forming reached her ears. The gray she-cat stopped in her tracks and looked down to see her forepaw now frozen to the floor. While she tried to get herself free, Batwing did a whirlwind kick and hit her with a large glob of water, knocking her back.

Beside her, Stonetail popped a disc up and threw it at the FireBender Bat, knocking him back. The EarthBender Vampire Bat used a disc to block a blast from Redblaze, but the attack crushed the disc and knocked him back as well. Redblaze leapt around and dodged a few fire blasts aimed at his head, throwing one back.

"Wow! Those look like illegal head shots to me!" the ring reporter called.

Redblaze bent his head low, barely avoiding a fire blast that passed over his face plate. The bell rang suddenly rang, making the round a tie.

"Round two will be decided with a tie-breaker!" the ring announcer called.

He was holding a coin in his hand before he threw it up in the air; when it came down, he quickly caught it. The Twoleg held the coin up and called, "The Fire Meerkats win the coin toss! Which element do you choose?"

Owlflame stepped forth, meowing, "I'm taking this one. Let's go! You and me, pretty boy!" she hissed, glaring over at the black tom.

Batwing smirked as he stepped forth. "Thought you'd never ask, Ohvatar Cat."

The referee bowed and stepped away from the middle platform along with the rest of the players before it rose up. Owlflame and Batwing were taking their stances as the spotlight hit their pelts. The two cats began scaling their distance and sizing each other up.

"Come on, Owl_kit_. Gimme your best shot!" Batwing was taunting.

_Oh I will, you smug bastard, _Owlflame thought angrily to herself.

Finally, she swiped her paws at him, sending a water ball at his head. Batwing easily leaned to the side to avoid the attack and tried to retaliate, but a blast of water caught him under the chin, knocking his helmet off. Owlflame swiped while Batwing dodged, but the Avatar Cat followed it up by kicking water at Batwing before he was about to attack. Her rival's attack began to lose its momentum and fall short of her as he fell off the platform and to the floor, making the bell ring.

"Take that, sucker," Owlflame purred, lifting her head as she gazed down at him.

The Vampire Bat fans stared in disbelief mid cheer while the Fire Meerkat fans stared in utter shock. The Twoleg fan dressed as Owlflame was holding her hands out and unwittingly caught Batwing's helmet as it fell back down.

"Round two goes to the Fire Meerkats!" the ring reporter was calling. "One round a piece! Who wants it more?"

Seeing the scoreboard, Owlflame leapt down from the lowering platform and gave Redblaze a hearty friendly headbutt, which he returned.

"Nice one!" Redblaze praised her.

"That's the stuff! You're the herooo!" Stonetail yowled. "Woo!"

Redblaze nodded. "We might actually win this!"

Batwing was being helped up by his teammates, grunting and pulling away from them. Then he was struggling to stand as he snarled, a trickle of blood dripping from his nose, "Let's send them to a watery grave!"

Unknowingly to the fighters, Sunstar and Shard were still watching them. Nostalgia was in their gray and green eyes as they followed Owlflame and her fighting style.

"I still can't believe your gentle father was reincarnated into that cat," Shard mused. "She's as tough as a rock."

Sunstar glanced over at her. "Reminds me of someone else I knew at that age. You two could work well with each other if you only gave her a chance."

All Shard did was snort a bit. But she turned back as the bell rang, and Batwing grabbed a glob of water. Both teams began to battle, throwing their elements and defending attacks.

"The Vampire Bats fly out the gate, swinging with bad aims!" the ring reporter called. "The challengers are showing a lot of heart, but the champs are starting to find their rhythm now."

The Vampire Bat EarthBender kicked a disc before the FireBender did a barrel roll over his back and sent an arc of fire out with a spinning downward kick. Batwing did a back flip off one of the ring posts to avoid one of Stonetail's discs and countered by swiping his paw down and throwing an arc of water when he landed. The EarthBender leapt forth, popping a disc up when he landed on his feet and then sending it flying with a spinning roundhouse kick.

"Can the Meerkats hang in there against the best?" the ring reporter was calling. "Especially when the best are getting a little help from the refs?"

Owlflame blocked the earth disc with her body, following it up by turning around and Bending some water at Batwing, who smirked and blocked it with his shoulder. The ring reporter called, "It's all down to the final round! Redblaze is giving it his all, but it looks like Batwing and Moosetail are up to some more tricks!"

Redblaze gave a swipe combo, sending out some fireballs as the EarthBender Bat did a spinning kick to send a disc flying. He stood in front of Batwing as he popped up another disc and pinned it down with his paws. Unknowingly to them, Batwing encased the crumbled disc in water and proceeded to spin around to the front, swinging his tail and throwing three streams of water filled with rocks. The attacks hit Redblaze and Stonetail, knocking them over the edge of the ring.

The third stream of water hit Owlflame in the face, the chunks of the earth disc travelling up the stream and collide with her head. Pain shot through her head as some chunks sliced at her head, causing stripes of blood trickling down her face. This ended up knocking her back and sending her rolling over the edge.

"Oh, this has gone too far!" the ring reporter called. "That water had _rocks_ in it!"

As the bell rang, Sunstar roared, "Oh, come on! Those were illegal head shots! Open your eyes, ref, for yowling out loud!"

The ring reporter called, "Well folks, it's a debated call, but the Vampire Bats jagged a nasty knockout to win the match. For the fourth year in a row, they are crowned as the tournament champions!"

Owlflame reached the surface of the water and glared up wearily at Batwing, who was strutting around like a pompous poodle. They had lost...they had lost to this bigmouth and his team of no-good cheaters. The fur on her neck began to bristle as she heard Batwing's gloating voice.

"That was too easy," the black cat sneered. "That should show those losers who the real champs are. Anybody else want to scrap with the champs?"

But then...as Owlflame started to glare around at the cheering audience...she saw it.

A tabby cat in the audience was pulling a bandana with the Equalists' symbol on it over its face. A gray she-cat sitting behind two cheering fans was also pulling a bandana over her face with a serious expression. Then she was joined by a gray tom pulling a bandana over his face.

Owlflame's heart thumped with shock as a ginger cat scooped his paw into a bucket of popcorn and pulled it out, now with a large mechanical paw on it. The cat pulled up his bandana to cover his face before stalking towards Shard and Sunstar, the latter still motioning in disbelief at the outcome of the match. He turned to Shard for a moment and looked back at the arena floor as she looked to him.

Then...the cat pounced!

"Look out!" Sunstar yowled, having noticed the cat arriving.

But it was too late. The cat had pounced on Shard and sliced electric claws into her shoulder, making her screech in pain. As the dusky brown she-cat collapsed, Sunstar blew the Equalist away with a gust of wind, but he grunted in pain as he was clawed and shocked from behind by an Equalist she-cat. Owlflame began to panic as a MetalBender cop standing at the top of the stairs was shocked from behind by another Equalist. Another cop saw his comrade fall and was about to go see what was wrong when he was also shocked from behind.

As another MetalBender cop was being shocked from behind, Owlflame dove under the water to fish up her friends. In a few seconds, she resurfaced from the water, gasping for air as she and Redblaze carried Stonetail on their shoulders. They looked up to the stands, sparks flying as the security was taken out by the Equalists.

"Huh?!" Stonetail yelped while Redblaze paddled in front of him to protect him.

Just then, the black-furred Deputy landed on the lower platform near the water. All three cats gasped as the black tom raised his electrified kali sticks in his jaws, charging them up. But just as Owlflame threw a stream of water at him, she was too late. All three Benders were electrocuted before the attack reached him, yowling in pain before passing out.

"Folks, there is some sort of electrical disturbance in the stands. MetalBender cops are dropping like flies! There appear to be masked cats in the audience wielding strange tools on their paws." But suddenly... "One of them is in the booth with me now, folks. He is leveling one of those gloved paws at me, and I believe he is about to electrocute me. I am now wetting myself!"

Meanwhile, on the arena, an Equalist cat was flexing his claws, and electricity flew out from the center. The Vampire Bats, far from wallowing, were now looking on with terror at the resulting attack. Then the center platform rose up to reveal...Anubis and six chi blockers.

**...**

_**Commercial Break**_

**...**

A little bit comatose and lying in the water, Owlflame's body was floating near Redblaze, who was also knocked out. Unknowingly to her, the Avatar Cat was being pulled across the water by a rope tied to her ankle. Sunstar and Shard were down on the floor while Equalists stood nearby, holding the spectators hostage with their electric paws.

"What the hell is going on here, ref?" Batwing was snarling at the referee as he backed away from Anubis and his chi blockers.

"I don't know!" the referee retorted, backing away.

Just then, Anubis and the chi blockers approached, and the Vampire Bats began to back away. But Batwing hissed, "Okay, you wise guy, you wanna piece of the Vampire Bats? Well, here it comes!"

He took his stance and Bended a stream of water at Anubis, but he easily leaned out of the way of the water whip, moving side to side as he lunged forward. Batwing and the EarthBender were throwing out their attacks, Batwing swinging his tail in a circular motion downward and creating a circular arc of water as Anubis got close. The FireBender leapt at the white tom and swiped a flaming paw at him, but Anubis leapt to the side to avoid. The FireBender readied another attack, but the Equalist leader readied the distance and swiped his paw to the side, got behind him, and pinned him to the ground. The FireBender yowled in fright as Anubis picked him up and tossed him away like a rotten piece of fresh-kill.

Batwing Bended two streams of water and was about to attack with them when his neck was caught by a cat catching him by surprise. The EarthBender Vampire Bat was stumbling back as he was also slammed to the ground by a chi blocker. A chi blocker flung a twig with strings at the EarthBender's legs, catching them and making him fall down. The Vampire Bats were now weakened and bloody, and Anubis and his warriors stood over them. Batwing was crouching low in front of Anubis, his shoulders pinned by two chi blockers.

"Wait, please!" he yowled in real fear. "Don't do this! I'll give you the championship pot! I...I'll give you everything! Just please don't take my Bending away!"

Anubis lifted up one paw lazily and planted it against his forehead before he sunk his fangs into his throat to keep him from escaping. Finally, Anubis let go after a few seconds and began to back up, having taken away Batwing's Bending. After one of Batwing's ears was torn off, the chi blockers dragged the now-powerless Vampire Bats to the edge of the ring and threw them over, so they fell and hit the water. Two Equalists hung a large Equalist banner over the side of the upper stands, several more banners following suit.

Back under the ring, the Deputy was pulling Owlflame out of the water and up onto the middle platform, her friends still unconscious and set against a nearby post. Owlflame looked up at the Deputy dragging her by the tail and groaned, too hurt to fight back. She closed her eyes, and suddenly, she felt herself dipping into another vision in the past.

Two cats were there, and she recognized them as Goldstar and Nightfoot. Nightfoot, the black she-cat, was pointing her paw at someone and saying something. Thanks to having once trained with Hawkfrost and getting info, Owlflame then recognized the black-&-gray tomcat leering at Goldstar: it was Nanulak, a mob boss who almost killed the AirClan leader when Sunstar was just a kit. Nanulak was standing up to fight while Goldstar had gone into the Avatar Cat State, floating high above the mob boss. Finally, his eyes and arrow stripes returned back to normal, and his expression was determined.

Finally, Owlflame woke up slightly, unable to move. The Deputy had just finished tying her and her friends up and was leaving when she heard a familiar voice.

"I believe I have your attention, Benders of United City," Anubis' hypnotizing meow rang out. "So the Vampire Bats are your Pro-Bending champions yet again. It seems appropriate that you would cheer for three bullies who cheated their way to victory. Because every day, just like what the Vampire Bats did to their foes tonight, you threaten and abuse your fellow non-Bending cats. Those cats were allegedly the best in the Bending world, and yet it only took a few moments for me to rinse them of their uncleanness. Let this be a warning to all of you Benders out there: if any of you stand in my way, you will meet the same fate."

Gasps filled the audience as the white tom went on, "Now, my followers: for years, the Equalists have been forced to hide in the shadows like roaches. But now we have the numbers and strength to create a _new_ United City! I'm happy to tell you the time for change has finally come."

Across from them, Batwing and the Vampire Bats were slowly climbing out of the water, looking more injured than before. Half of one of Batwing's ears was torn off, leaving a bloody spot, and the others got clawed hard on the faces.

Under the platform, Owlflame and her friends had been tied up. Each of them woke up while the Equalist leader was speaking, and Redblaze grunted, "How are we gonna get out of here?"

He and Owlflame shared unsure looks at this, but Stonetail was smiling as he looked out to the water. Owlflame and Redblaze followed his gaze to see Timon swimming towards the platform, his short legs paddling swiftly through the water. Still wearing his Fire Meerkat uniform, the red-furred meerkat finally reached land. They heard Anubis meow "Very soon, the cruel Bending rule will be replaced by reasonable Equalist government. Your kits will no longer need to be afraid to walk freely."

"Good boy, Timon! So listen up, buddy," Stonetail meowed as Timon approached them. Then he started clicking his teeth while Timon chirped at him.

"Stonetail, what in StarClan's name are you doing?" Redblaze hissed while Owlflame felt very confused as this. "Quit messing around!"

Stonetail shook his head and retorted, "I'm not! I'm trying to save us!"

Now Owlflame saw what Timon was doing. He was chewing through the ropes with his small yet sharp teeth. Stonetail turned to the others and meowed, "See? He's not just a one trick pony!"

Owlflame and Redblaze smiled at the tabby tom, proud of him for coming up with a plan like this. But they kept quiet as Anubis started talking again, louder than before.

"It is time to take back our city. For moons, Benders have possessed an abnormal advantage over ordinary cats." The Equalists were standing in front of the audience, their electric paws glowing and ready to shock anyone who tried to escape. "But thankfully, modern technology has given us a way to even out the playing field. Now anyone can hold the chi blocking power in their paws. My comrades and I will not rest until the entire city reaches equality. And once that objective is completed, we will equalize the rest of the world and the Clans. _The revolution has begun_!"

Suddenly, the glass above their heads shattered as several ropes fell down through it. A zeppelin was floating above with the Equalist insignia on the side, and the ropes lowered down to Anubis and his Equalists. They each walked over to the ropes, which had a device at the end that turned into a platform. Each cat stood on a platform and was pulled up to the zeppelin as the Equalists in the stands ran away.

Sunstar and Shard were still lying on the ground, but they groaned as they tried to get back up to their paws. Shard crouched low next to a still stunned Sunstar before looking up to see Anubis escaping. The two cats got back into focus and looked worried a moment before an explosion rocked the building. A large fiery explosion erupted as Owlflame saw debris fall around the three cats and meerkat.

"It's okay, Timon. It was just a little explosion," Stonetail mewed. He clicked his teeth again and meowed, "Keep chewing; you're almost through it." And as Timon nipped through more rope and got the Benders loose, he cheered, "Yeah! Great job, buddy!"

As soon as she was free from the ropes, Owlflame raced over to the water. She created ice over the surface and slid across before looking up to see what was going on. The Equalists were just leaving, right after causing all of this chaos and suffering.

"You guys go on!" she hissed to her friends. "I'm going after Anubis!"

Both toms looked worried, but they nodded as Redblaze replied, "Just be careful!"

So Owlflame leapt into the water and began to spin around. She burst out from the water and rose up on a water spout, heading for the hole in the roof. The Avatar Cat was determined to stop the Equalists at all costs, but she became worried when her spout began to lose power. In the end, Owlflame went too high, and the water spout gave out, making Owlflame yowl in terror as she began to fall back down.

**(SpongeBob: [Comes over and laughs])**

**(AvatarCat12: Security! [Korra comes in and kicks SpongeBob out] Good gob, Korra!)**

**(Korra: Thanks! And I plan on laughing at him when he and Patrick dry up in the movie. Think of it as good ol' payback!)**

Owlflame reached a paw up, but Anubis was quickly becoming more distant. Right before she could hit the ground, a metal cable flew through the air, wrapping around her waist and catching her. This made her gasp and look up to see who her savior was.

It was Shard. The brown she-cat was swinging through the air on one cable in her jaws as she held Owlflame with the other. Owlflame positioned herself into the right stance and grabbed on with her jaws. Shard swung around to get into position before flinging Owlflame back up to the roof. With a meow of thanks, the Avatar Cat used FireBending to speed up to where Anubis and his followers were still being pulled up to the zeppelin, the Deputy and a chi blocker standing on the platform and hanging on to the rope.

Owlflame rose up from behind them and delivered a fire blast from an uppercut swipe, knocking the Deputy off and grabbing onto the rope before kicking the chi blocker off with a fiery kick. The blue-gray she-cat balanced herself and looked up; she could see Anubis looking down at her as he continued to be pulled up. Owlflame glared and flicked her tail up at him, shooting a very powerful ball of fire at him. But Anubis stepped off the platform just before the fire reached him, unfazed as the blast knocked back the surrounding chi blockers. Owlflame continued to shoot fire up into the zeppelin while the white cat merely looked down, fire flying around him before turning away.

Owlflame frowned and looked up, her head fur blowing in the wind. _What's up with this bastard? How can he be so calm like this?_

She looked back down and gasped in shock and worry: the patrol boats in the water and police zeppelins in the air were all on fire. The Equalists had succeeded in breaching through the tight security Shard had worked hard to build.

Speaking of Shard, the brown she-cat leapt up to the roof through the hole, landing and retracting her cables before shooting one up at a chi blocker leaping at Owlflame, snaring him. Then Shard swung the cable down and slammed the chi blocker into the roof below. Two more chi blockers slid down Owlflame's rope and knocked her off, but she landed safely, cracking the glass. The rope and platform were pulled back up, and Shard grappled it with a cable. But before she could pull herself up, the Deputy leapt at her, striking her with his electrified rods and knocking her down, causing her to let go of the rope and platform.

The three chi blockers rushed towards the fallen Shard, but Owlflame stepped in between them, angry that it was going to be many against one. She fired a fire blast towards the chi blockers, knocking one down as she raced after them. The chi blocker that was hit rolled around and got to his paws, but Owlflame leapt onto him and knocked him out with a swipe to the head as she leapt off of him. She shot two more blasts of fire at the remaining chi blockers with a swipe in the air, doing another spin in the air as fire cloaked her paw. A yowl made her turn to see the Deputy just about to attack Shard, leaping at her and ready to swing his electrified rods down.

Before the black cat could attack, Owlflame jumped at him and pushed him hard to the side. The Deputy rolled around and got back to his paws as Owlflame made a tail sweep, sending a stream of flame at him. Her opponent jumped and rolled out of the way before running off to the side as Owlflame shot more fire at him. Seeing him flee, she gave chase after him, and he turned around and swiped his claws at her just before she could hit him. Owlflame only got clawed on the brow of her head as she leapt back and landed on her paws, and as the Deputy closed in for yet another strike, she sent out a wave of fire. But the Deputy leapt over it, landing on the other side.

The two cats continued to fight each other, dodging and striking back with fire and electricity. Two chi blockers got back to their paws and run past Shard to join the Deputy, but Shard got back up and fired her cables, wrapping them around the chi blockers and then flinging them to either side. Shard was back in action, spinning on her forepaws and whipping her cables around her as she did so before retracting them. She looked back up to the fleeing zeppelin, flung a cable at it once more, and caught one of the hanging platforms. She started reeling the cable in, pulling herself up to the zeppelin.

"Thank StarClan," Owlflame found herself mewing under her breath.

Owlflame leapt back as the Deputy ran at her, attacking with a downward swing with both sticks before stabbing at her. She dodged the attacks, grabbed his scruff in her teeth, and clawed hard at his shoulder, using the energy to throw him down, cracking the roof. Owlflame followed this up with a fiery kick, but the Deputy rolled to a crouch and deflected her back paw with his stick, a yelp of pain rising from her mouth. He followed with a reverse hook kick, but Owlflame dodged it and countered with a double swipe combo, shooting out more fire. The Deputy dodged all of them, ducking under the roundhouse kick as he charged his stick up and swung it at her.

Thanks to her training, Owlflame ducked and spun out of the way, turning around and striking with her front claws. She hit the Deputy across the head, knocking him back and forcing him to his belly. As the Deputy got up, Owlflame jumped up and spun around, delivering two waves of fire from a kick followed by an aerial axe kick. This knocked the Deputy over the side of the roof and made him go rolling down.

"Beat that, chump," Owlflame panted.

But as she landed, there was a cracking sound under her paws. She gasped when the glass under her broke, and she began to plummet to the ground, yowling. But as she fell into the smoke cloud from the explosion, a cable to the side latched itself to an Equalist banner as Shard came towards her with a cable around her body, catching Owlflame by the scruff. The MetalBending chief then swung out of the smoke along with the Avatar Cat towards the stands, tearing the banner. Shard landed on her paws and retracted her cables while Owlflame collapsed onto the ground on her left side.

Shard had seen her collapse and raced over to her. Owlflame realized that she could not have been happier to see her here tonight. The dusky brown she-cat had certainly taken after her mother, Nightfoot.

As Owlflame got up, Shard asked, "You okay?"

"Yeah," Owlflame panted. "Thanks."

"No problem, kid." Both she-cats looked up at the hole in the roof and saw the zeppelin flying away. Shard lowered her head and sighed. "Looks like we lost this round."

Owlflame nodded, knowing that there would be another chance to fight the Equalists one day. She turned around in time to be blocked by ginger fur surrounding her vision; when she stepped back, it was Redblaze, a relieved look on his face. Stonetail had joined up with them, Timon just right behind him.

"I'm glad you're okay!" Redblaze meowed, his amber eyes glowing.

"Me too!" Stonetail cheered, joining in the hug.

Owlflame shared small smiles with her friends as she hugged them back. She knew that despite the dark times coming on ahead, she and her friends would get through this. Goldstar and his own friends before them had gone through the same thing. But despite feeling a bit better, she was very shaken about what happened this very night. The Equalists had attacked the arena of Pro-Bending itself...but why?

She had no more time to think, for she saw Sunstar approaching Shard, who had lowered her gaze and looked away. The AirClan leader was laying a gentle paw on her shoulder, making her look up at him with sorrow.

"I can't believe Anubis would dare to do this," Shard sighed, her green eyes troubled. "I played right into his paws. It's my fault."

"It's _not_ your fault, Shard. Not at all," Sunstar assured her. "He played us all into his paws. But United City...is now at war."

_**To be continued...**_

**...**

**Tenzin: Hmmm...aside from the language, this series is getting interesting. How on earth did you get inspired to make this?**

**AvatarCat12: Your parents' series, Warrior Cats, and a Japanese show called Silver Fang Legend Weed inspired me to make both Avatar Cat series. It's a blend of all four series together.**

**Tenzin: Ingenious! I will have to remind the others about this. And if you don't mind, I would like to say the review part and the preview for The Aftershock. (To the readers) Please read and review, everyone. Anyone who does so shall receive a virtual little statue of the original Team Avatar. We do not allow flames, but we allow constructive criticism and advice.**

**Preview: Owlflame and her friends go over to Emerald's mansion and explore what she had grown up with. But while there, Owlflame sees that something is strangely wrong with Emerald's father, Romulus. Meanwhile, to make amends for her failure at the Pro-Bending arena, Shard tries to hunt down any possible Equalist cats.**

**AvatarCat12: See ya next time!**

**Tenzin: Good-bye, and have a pleasant day.**


	8. The Aftershock

**AvatarCat12: Hey, everyone. How's it going? First off, I've decided to make a World Of Warcraft FanFic about Dardiirn. Second, instead of Korra, Mako will be here for this chapter's commentary.**

**Mako: (Comes in and shakes Avatar Cat's hand) Good meeting you, Avatar Cat.**

**AvatarCat12: Same to you, Mako, my man...kinda lame of how I said it, huh?**

**Mako: It's a good start. That's something. Mind if I say the disclaimer?**

**AvatarCat12: Sure. By my guest.**

**Disclaimer: AvatarCat12 is merely blending together Legend Of Korra and Warrior Cats. He doesn't own them and doesn't want to.**

**Summary: ****Owlflame and her friends go over to Emerald's mansion and explore what she had grown up with. But while there, Owlflame sees that something is strangely wrong with Emerald's father, Romulus. Meanwhile, to make amends for her failure at the Pro-Bending arena, Shard tries to hunt down any possible Equalist cats.**

**Uploading Date: September 18, 2012**

**Enjoy!**

**...**

_**The Aftershock**_

"_Although the Great War ended ten years ago, this is not a time of peace. These warriors who call themselves 'Equalists' are not interested in equality. They just want to conduct war against Benders. Chief Shard Bei-Fong was supposed to protect United City, but in the end, she was too weak to stop the attack on the arena. She has failed us all, and she had failed United City. If we are to survive these dismal times, our law enforcement needs new leadership in their paws."_

The words Hawkfrost said made Owlflame's blood boil, but she ignored it. Today was a new day.

It was a chilly day as she drove Nisa towards the Pro-Bending Arena building. The glass dome was broken in places, and construction scaffolding was in place around it. Some monsters were parked near the entrance, which was blocked off by a police barricade. Owlflame rode her wolf over the path to the entrance, MetalBender police patrolling around in the background. Nisa came to a stop just before a line of police tape, and Owlflame immediately leapt off and ducked under the tape.

As she raced down the Pro-Bending hall to her friends' place, Owlflame recalled why she was here. She was going to ask Redblaze and Stonetail to spend their time on AirClan Island until the arena got fixed. When she made it to the attic apartment, Redblaze was now placing some stuff into a half-full box.

"I'm still sure they won't shut the Pro-Bending arena down," the red-ginger tom grunted, shifting the box onto his back.

"Yeah, we had some good memories here, huh?" Stonetail replied, looking around fondly around the room.

Deciding to tell them the good news, Owlflame emerged from the stairs into the apartment and meowed, "Morning, guys! I got some good news. You don't have to go back on the streets." As they mewed greetings to her before looking confused, she went on, "I talked with Sunstar and made the arrangements. You can come live on AirClan Island with me, Sunstar, and his family."

But Redblaze looked hesitant, scratching the back of his head with a back paw. "Uh...we'd love to, but..."

Stonetail spoke up, "Emerald already invited us to live in her dad's giant manor!" Not noticing her ears flatten in disappointment, he went on, "From now on, it's gonna be the lap of luxury for us. We're gonna live like kings!"

"Hey Owlflame. I was hoping you'd stop by."

Owlflame leapt back a bit and looked up before sighing with relief. It was just Emerald; the calico-furred kittypet was crouching on a previously unseen loft, Timon on her shoulders. She began to climb down, making Owlflame look down.

_Why couldn't the guys just tell me sooner about this? _Out loud, she muttered, "I was just leaving. I guess I'll see you guys around...some time."

Emerald looked over at her with gentle green eyes. "Well, how about tomorrow? I'd love to have you come and visit the manor."

"I don't know," Owlflame muttered. "I have some Avatar Cat stuff to do, anyways."

Stonetail picked up Timon and began wiggling him around, meowing in a high-pitched voice, "Aw, come on, Owlflame! We all deserve rest and relaxation after all this craziness! We could go swim in her swimming pool! It'll be fuuun!"

Owlflame purred at what Stonetail was doing. Despite what had happened the day before, the stumpy-tailed brown tabby tom could know what to do to cheer someone up. And today, he had gotten her in a somewhat good mood.

So she purred jokingly, "Okay, Timon. I'll come over tomorrow."

"Great!" Emerald purred. "We'll see you tomorrow."

Owlflame nodded back as she leapt down the stairs to the Pro-Bending hallway. A lonely pang tugged at her heart when she had heard of them staying over at Emerald's place. She had wanted to talk with Redblaze and see how his relationship with Emerald was doing.

**...**

It was a sunny day in United City as murders of crows were picking food off the ground in front of a dingy warehouse. The crows were disturbed by the sound of an approaching vehicle and took off just before a police truck could run over them as it sped toward the warehouse. It burst through the building's door as Shard and her MetalBenders broke through the warehouse's windows and dropped down to the ground.

Some additional forces came out of the truck as the MetalBenders streamed through the building and pulled canvases off of discarded technology. A gray she-cat found a table stacked with flyers bearing the image of Anubis while a tabby tom opened a crate filled with the same electric paws used to assault the Pro-Bending Arena. Shard was overseeing the raid, hoping to make sure she could make up for the failed security.

"Looks like our intel was good," she remarked to Lynxclaw, her lieutenant.

"There's enough evidence here to bury Lettuce Corp for StarClan knows how long," Lynxclaw meowed.

Soon, after more investigating was done, they all went over to the Lettuce Corp, a tall building with golden rooftops. There, they had questioned their owner, a light gray tom, and taken him into custody. As they did so, a small crowd was soon gathering at the entrance of the building. The MetalBenders padded past a statue of a historic Lettuce Merchant standing next to a cart full of his product, holding cabbage high in triumph.

As the owner was being led out the building's entrance by Lynxclaw, Shard behind him, he cried, "This is an outrage! I'm innocent, I tell you!"

Lynxclaw rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. That's what they all say."

Shard paused as cameras began flashing in front of her, a Twoleg reporter asking, "Is it true that Lettuce Corp is plotting with the Equalists?"

"The evidence points in that direction, but the search is rolling," Shard meowed. "For now, we have frozen Gan-Lan's resources and closing Lettuce Corp."

"No!" Gan-Lan yowled. "My Lettuce Corp!"

**...**

Owlflame and Sunstar had heard of the investigations, how the Lettuce Corp was rumored to be working with the Equalists. The other day, Owlflame had asked Sunstar if she could go over to Emerald's place at sunhigh, which Sunstar agreed to. But for the time being, they went over to the Police headquarters to speak with Shard.

Now Owlflame was sitting in the waiting room, staring at her reflection in the refined wooden floor. She still could not get the attack on the Pro-Bending arena out of her mind. And even worse...she could still remember when Anubis attacked her and said these words to her.

_While this is expected, our final showdown is much too early. I do have a plan, and I will save you for last. Then you shall have your battle...and I will kill you._

_I'll be waiting to fight you, Anubis, _Owlflame thought. _I'll be waiting._

"Hey, Owlflame."

Owlflame spun around to see the owner of the gloomy voice and was surprised. It was Batwing hunched on a bench. The black tom's head fur was hanging loosely, and his blue eyes looked bloodshot and sad. Not only that, but bandages were over his torn ear, and there were long cuts on his forehead. A little bit of Owlflame wanted to taunt him about getting what he deserved, but she learned from Sunstar to not attack a cat that was already defeated.

"Hey Batwing," she meowed, leaping up onto the bench to sit with him. Then she mewed softly, "Look, I know we're not exactly friends, but I'm so sorry Anubis de-Bended you."

Batwing looked more miserable. "I've been to the best medicine cats and vets in the city. But there was nothing they could do. Whatever Anubis did to me, it's permanent." His voice got more intense as he hissed, "Owlflame, you gotta get him for me. I wanna see that bastard pay for what he did."

Owlflame nodded. Just then, she heard Shard talking and looked over to find the Chief and Sunstar walking with Romulus Sato, Emerald's father.

"Mr. Sato, if you remember anything else about what you saw during the attack, be sure to let us know," Shard was meowing.

"I'm happy to help any way I can," Romulus purred. "I want to see those Equalists pay for what they've done."

Sunstar nodded before turning to Batwing. "We're ready for you now."

"All right," Batwing sighed, standing up and padding towards them. Just then, he turned his head to Owlflame and flicked his tail at her, smiling just a bit and mewing, "I guess I'll see you later, Ohvatar Cat."

Owlflame nodded as she watched the black tom pad away. The anger she felt towards Batwing the past few days had now turned to sympathy when she saw him like this. Anubis had to be brought to justice and fast before he could do something even more dangerous.

**...**

_This sure looks fancy._

Owlflame was looking up the front gate and followed the path uphill and past various buildings to the main mansion at the highest point. She had kept her promise of visiting Emerald and her friends at the mansion at sunhigh. Some meowing from not far away told her that they had to be nearby by the way how they sounded happy. Giving a small sigh, Owlflame padded past a sign that said "Swimming Pool" and into a greenhouse-like place, where she gaped at the scenery.

A statue of Firestar himself was standing tall, a waterfall pouring out of its carved mouth. Timon was squealing as he took a flying leap off the statue's head to dive into the large pool below. The whole room was decorated lavishly with carved golden walls, lawn furniture, and exotic tropical plants. Stonetail was ready to dive off the statue, and on the opposite side of the pool, Emerald was sitting at the edge dipping her forepaws while Redblaze paddled in the water beside her.

"EarthBending bomb!" Stonetail yowled as he jumped into the pool, splashing the others. Right as Owlflame gawked in awe at this, the Twoleg butler led her in.

"Avatar Cat Owlflame has arrived," the butler said.

Redblaze turned his head around to greet her, "Hey Owlflame!"

"Hey! Glad you made it!" Emerald joined in cheerfully.

"Welcome to feline paradise!" Stonetail added, emerging from the water with a splash. Then he sank down to float on his back with Timon perched on top of his head.

Owlflame gave a mew of greetings, leaping up onto a lounge chair. She sat down and meowed, "Looks like you guys settled right in, huh?"

Redblaze paddled towards her and replied, "Pretty much, yeah. Except a certain _someone_ forgot to ask her father if we could stay here," he added, glancing teasingly at Emerald.

Emerald leapt into the water and paddled beside him; Owlflame was amazed at how well she could swim, for she just looked like an EarthClan cat instead of a WaterClan cat. Anyways, she chuckled, "Yeah, but I smoothed it out with him. You know what they say: it's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission."

Stonetail leapt up from the water beside Owlflame, his thick pelt dripping with water. As Timon sat on his head, he meowed, "This is the best place in the world. Watch this." To the butler, he meowed, "Fetch me my towel, my good sir."

"Yes...Master Stonetail," the butler said, grabbing a towel.

"'Master Stonetail?' I love this guy!" Stonetail turned away from Owlflame to the butler, meowing, "Now rub me dry, my good sir."

The butler nodded and quickly rubbed him dry, making his thick fur stick out in all angles. As this happened, Stonetail then meowed, "Don't forget Master Timon."

"Wouldn't dream of it, Sir," the Twoleg said and looped the towel over Timon, who was still on his master's head, and blew a hairdryer over the towel.

As soon as the towel was taken away, the meerkat's fur puffed out, making him look a bit like a rat. And with that done, Stonetail chirped with cheer and leapt back into the water. The Butler slumped with annoyance, slapping a hand to his face as he muttered something.

"So what do you have planned for us today?" Owlflame meowed, ignoring this little scene. "Let me guess: shopping or makeovers?"

"I vote makeovers!" Stonetail yowled, shoving Redblaze under the water. Then Redblaze came back up and cheerfully shoved his brother underwater in retaliation.

Emerald hauled herself out of the pool, water dripping from her gorgeous calico pelt. "Oh, I have something a little more exciting in mind."

_Really? Like what?_

**...**

The four cats had went past a small private safari, where animals like koalas, monitor lizards, jackals, and seagulls roamed. As they passed those animals, they had arrived at a driving course, where two racing Satomobiles raced for the lead. Owlflame and her friends just watched from the stands as the monsters passed the finish line like the wind.

"Pretty cool, eh?" Emerald purred, looking over at Owlflame.

Owlflame smiled back. "Yeah. Way cooler than a makeover."

Emerald smiled even brighter. "This is where Future Productions get to test drive their own Satomobiles. Ever been behind the wheel?"

"The only thing I know how to drive is a dire wolf," Owlflame confessed. The only things she had ridden were a dire wolf, boats, and Ryu, Sunstar's Asian Lung dragon.

"Ah...so you want me to take you for a spin?" Emerald meowed.

This made Owlflame's ears prick up right away; she had wanted to learn how to ride in the one and only Satomobile. So she sat up and chirped, "Let's do it!"

So in a matter of minutes, the two she-cats were in a Satomobile at the starting line. Their own monster and another monster were beside each other, revving their engines. Owlflame, who had a blue helmet on her head, looked around as Emerald looked over at her opponent while he smiled back. A referee waved the white starting flag, and both monsters took off past him. They were off.

The challenger, driving the red car, cut Emerald's golden monster off on a turn they both took in a skid. They hit a straightaway as Emerald smirked and floored the engine, passing her opponent. As the opponent gaped in awe when they rode past, Owlflame could hear Redblaze and Stonetail cheering in the stands. With her friends cheering on and being happy, she now saw no problem in Redblaze being mates with Emerald now.

_It might hurt...but it's all cool._

Back on the racetrack, Emerald was once again in second place. She gained on her opponent like a cat stalking a mouse, but he noticed and moved his monster to block her. Emerald's green eyes narrowed as she shifted gears and worked the pedals to get more speed out of her vehicle. The car moved closer to the track's inside and crept up to her foe. The wheels scraped up against the road's border, sending up sparks and smoke, but it continues to overtake the red car.

Owlflame looked down at the scraping wheel with concern, worried that they might crash. Then she looked over at the other driver as she passed him. He floored his monster forth, but his front wheel hit the gold monster's rear wheel, pushing the red monster off balance and into a full spin. The challenger fell behind as the gold monster continued onward. Owlflame looked back at the spinning red monster and forward at Emerald with a big grin, a smile that told Owlflame that he admitted defeat. Their car crossed the finish line, followed shortly by the still-spinning red car.

Owlflame let out a yowl of victory while Emerald smiled and pulled into the pit. Once the car came to a stop, Owlflame bounded out, jumping up and down. Emerald came out more slowly, taking off her helmet.

"That was awesome!" Owlflame yowled. "I didn't think we'd make it!"

Emerald smiled. "Can't be afraid to mix it up sometimes."

Owlflame removed her helmet, meowing, "I gotta admit I was wrong about you. I thought you were kinda prissy. No offense."

"None taken," Emerald told her cheerfully. "Cat usually see me as Daddy's helpless little girl, but I can handle myself. I mean, I've been in self-defense training since I was as big as a small ferret. My dad made sure I would always protect myself."

"Smart guy," Owlflame mewed. Romulus must be smarter than she thought.

**...**

Back at the mansion, the butler opened the door to let the cats in as they returned from the racetrack. Stonetail was on his hind legs doing the 'potty dance' while Redblaze was shaking his head in embarrassment. Owlflame and Emerald were just giving the brown tabby tom amused looks.

"Emergency! Emergency! Coming through! Beep beep!" Stonetail yowled as he ran deeper into the mansion, leaving a smoke trail.

Speaking of bathroom, Owlflame mewed, "Emerald, is there another bathroom I can use?"

"We have a powder room for females upstairs. First door on your right," Emerald meowed as Redblaze pressed his pelt against hers. "You can freshen up in there."

"Thanks."

So Owlflame sped up the stairs and, recalling the directions, managed to find the powder room. After she did her business, she did whatever she did to clean up before she washed her paws clean. She hoped it was enough to show Emerald that she could be as clean as a she-cat.

But as she shut off the water and dried her paws with the towel, she noticed a pink powder puff beside the sink. Owlflame had no idea how to use these things, but she uneasily lifted the puff by its handle and raised it to her face. She hesitated, gazing down at the unfamiliar instrument, then she shut her eyes and roughly slammed the puff onto her face.

A cloud of pink powder exploded outward to completely hide her whole upper body, sending her into a coughing fit. Owlflame fell down from the counter and backed out from the bathroom, still coughing and waving powder from her face. This was not what she expected in using one of those StarClan-forsaken things.

But as she padded down the hall, she heard Romulus' muffled voice coming from behind a closed door.

"No, no, I assure you. Everything is going exactly as planned."

Owlflame's ears pricked up as she looked around to make sure no one was watching. When no one was around, she sneaked over to the door to peak through the keyhole. She could see the ginger tom sitting at his desk, his back turned to the door.

Romulus was purring in a strangely sinister voice, "Yes, I agree with you. Luckily, the Lettuce Corp investigation has bought us enough time. Trust me. By the end of this quarter-moon, we'll be ready to strike."

At that, he slammed the handset down on the phone, and Owlflame leapt up with alarm. She could not believe what she was hearing; from the sounds of it, it seemed like Romulus was talking to an Equalist cat. He could be working with Anubis and have plotted the attack on the Pro-Bending arena! The blue-gray she-cat struggled with her thoughts before running back down the hall.

In the main hall, Redblaze and Emerald were nuzzling each other while Stonetail posed for the butler, who was squirting perfume over his pelt. Owlflame hurried past without even looking at the cats.

"You're leaving?" Emerald asked, looking after her. "But I thought you'd stay for a while?"

"Sorry," Owlflame mewed, turning about as she still continued to walk to the door. "I forgot I'm supposed to AirSit...I mean KittyBend...I-I mean babysit the AirBending kits. See you later."

Without another word, she ran out the door, leaving the others to stare in surprise. But Owlflame didn't care; she needed to tell someone about this. Someone like Sunstar.

_And Shard. I know she wants to help out in fighting the Equalists._

**...**

_**Commercial Break**_

**...**

"So you think Mr. Sato made those electric paws for the Equalists and framed Lettuce Corp?"

Night had fallen over United City. Spotlight passed through the sky, and a MetalBender airship floated lazily above the city. Owlflame had gone over to Sunstar and told him about what she had heard before they did the same for Shard. It was Sunstar who spoke as they settled down in the United City park.

"That's a bold accusation," Shard mewed, her green eyes narrowing. "What proof do you have?"

Owlflame looked down, trying to find out what to say. "Well...I don't exactly have proof, but I know what I heard. Romulus is up to something."

To her surprise, Shard meowed, "He does have the means...and a motive."

"That's right," Sunstar added.

"A motive?" Owlflame repeated, looking up. "What kind of motive?"

Sunstar gazed at her, sad nostalgia in his gray eyes. "Two years ago, the Agni Kai Threesome had robbed Sato's mansion, fought against Sato himself, and killed his guard dogs. But the worst of it was this: a FireBender had killed his mate, Lily, during the break-in."

Owlflame looked down again, feeling spry for Emerald now. She had no idea the tortoiseshell she-cat had gone through this; she had even heard tales of how Silverheart's mother, Seamist, was murdered by a FireClan cat named Grayfrost. Now those two stories were similar to each other...and the story of how the parents of Redblaze and Stonetail were killed.

"That's...that's terrible," she rasped.

"It was tragic," Sunstar agreed as snow fell lightly onto his thick mane. "It's possible he's been harboring hatred towards Benders all this time."

"Maybe we should look over at Mr. Sato a little more closely," Shard suggested.

Owlflame nodded. She knew that Romulus was up to something...something bad. And one way or another, she would have to find out if it was true.

**...**

Owlflame looked up from her paws in time as the mansion doors were opened up by the butler, whose eyes widened at the feline visitors. She could see Redblaze and Emerald coming down the stairs behind the butler, looking surprised. Stonetail came around from the kitchen with Timon, a piece of meat in the meerkat's teeth.

Looking away, Owlflame could see Sunstar and Shard walking in with determination. She went after them, all three cats passing Redblaze and Emerald on the staircase's first landing.

"Owlflame?" Redblaze asked, padding towards her. "What's going on here? Why are they asking Romulus more questions?"

Owlflame knew she would have to tell the truth soon, so she stopped and meowed, "I overheard him on the phone yesterday. Emerald, I don't know how to tell you this, but I think your father might be involved with the Equalists. I'm sorry for not telling you earlier."

"What?!" Emerald hissed, now looking outraged. "I don't believe this." At this, she stalked off to follow Shard and Sunstar.

Redblaze stared after her before glaring over at Owlflame in anger. "You actually _spied_ on Romulus? What the hell is wrong with you?"

Without another word, the ginger tom bounded up the stairs, leaving the Avatar Cat by herself. Stonetail followed his brother, giving her an awkward look and a shrug before leaving. Owlflame did not bother to snap after Redblaze, for she hung her head down with disappointment. Sighing, she followed Stonetail up the stairs, ignoring the awkward look he was giving her.

When she made it to Romulus' office, the ginger tom was sitting at his desk, his back to the other cats. Shard and Sunstar were standing side-by-side, the latter meowing, "Mr. Sato, we just have a few questions for you."

Suddenly, Emerald leapt in through the door and ran around to her father's side. She spat angrily, "My father is innocent. Just because we're not Bending cats doesn't mean we support those awful Equalists!"

"Equalists?" Romulus chirped, turning around. "Is that what this is about? I can assure you I have nothing to do with those rogues."

"Yeah," Redblaze added. He glared at Owlflame and growled, "You don't know what you're talking about."

Owlflame gave him a defiant look before turning to Romulus. "I overheard you on the phone. You said the Lettuce Corp search bought you time and you're getting ready to strike. Explain that.

However, Romulus just laughed heartily. "This is a mere misunderstanding made from the young Avatar Cat's fervid imagination. My number one competitor was knocked out of the game. It's provided me an opportunity to strike the market with a new line of Satomobiles. It's business, nothing infamous."

Sunstar shared a look with Shard before turning back. "May we have a look into your factories and warehouses to put all suspicions in the past?"

Emerald gave an angry hiss like a goose and was about to speak, but Romulus flicked his tail to her to calm her down. She relaxed a bit, but her green eyes were still narrowed in anger.

"If you feel it's necessary, you're more than welcome to search all of Future Productions," he finally replied.

**...**

The unique-looking Future Productions factory had four smokestacks, one at each corner of the building. Two MetalBender airships were hovering in the sky around the factory as the search at the loading bay began. Owlflame had Nisa sniff the ground for proof as MetalBenders searched through stacks of boxes. Shard, who was behind her, was clawing open a crate with the metal claws built into her armor.

"Is it possible that the presidents of Lettuce Corp and Future Productions both have Equalist ties?" said the sounds of a broadcaster. "Or did Romulus Sato frame his rival, Nero Gan-Lan? Or did Chief Shard Bei Fong just arrest the wrong cat? So far, the investigation has borne no proof to lay the blame on Sato."

Throughout the factory, MetalBenders were breaking open crates with their whips and searching the contents. Owlflame could see Redblaze and Emerald glaring at the cops while Stonetail, who was sitting next to them, was giving them confused looks.

One of the airships had come down out of the dusky sky to hover next to the building. Shard and Sunstar looked on as the MetalBending police used their grappling whips to rise into the airship's bay. Owlflame came towards them while riding Nisa and approached her mentor and the chief. She leapt down to talk to them as soon as Nisa bowed her great head.

"I can't believe we didn't find anything," she panted.

"I suppose Romulus IS innocent," Shard grunted. But she did not say anything about Owlflame jumping to false conclusions.

Emerald and Redblaze stalked up to them, their expressions not changing. Stonetail joined them, and his face had changed, but it had changed to worry.

"Okay. You did your search," Emerald hissed, still looking hostile. "Now leave, please."

Shard just looked over at her and grunted, not going anywhere. Redblaze's angry amber gaze met Owlflame's blue gaze and stepped off to the side. Owlflame knew he was very angry with her, but she didn't want to argue with him. But she followed him to where they could talk apart from the others, Emerald, Shard, and Stonetail watching them.

"So there you go," Redblaze hissed to Owlflame. "Are you convinced now?"

"No," Owlflame retorted. "I don't care how supportive Romulus is being, I _know_ he's lying."

Redblaze growled, "Why are you doing this? Are you jealous of me and Emerald being mates?"

Owlflame gasped loudly, realizing the ginger rogue had struck a nerve. She knew that no matter how much she liked Redblaze, she did not want to hamper with him and Emerald being together. It hurt on the inside, but she couldn't let it hurt any more than it should.

So she growled, "No! That has nothing to do with me being jealous! I'm not even jealous at all!"

"If you don't drop this, our friendship is over," Redblaze spat.

Owlflame stared at him in shock, for she never knew he would say something like that. Despite this, though, she could not take back what she said. She knew something was very wrong with Romulus, and Redblaze and Emerald were being blind to the truth. And she knew that the safety of United City was more important than friendship for now. She closed her her eyes and looked down, unwilling to see the anger in the ginger tom's eyes.

"...I'm sorry, but I won't change my mind. Romulus is not the cat you think he is."

Redblaze lowered his head and made a low grunt, making Owlflame think he was thinking this over. But then he glared up at her and rasped, "Then we are no longer friends. Owlflame, you abused Emerald's trust when she gave it to you. We're through with you."

Owlflame opened her eyes and felt her heart break when Redblaze stalked over to Emerald, who glared over at the blue-gray she-cat. Stonetail followed them, giving her a concerned look over his shoulder as he padded away. Owlflame closed her eyes again and sighed before walking off in the opposite direction.

Her friendship with Redblaze was gone...for real this time. Back then, they split up due to petty jealousy, but now...it was gone due to suspicion. She padded over to Nisa and hugged her tight, letting the black-furred wolf lick her face gently.

Suddenly, the sound of pawsteps made her look up. A dark gray terrier was padding resolutely right past her, not quite looking at her, and secretly put a folded piece of paper under her paw as he padded past. Owlflame felt her paw tighten around it reflexively, and her eyes widened with surprise; why was a dog passing by? She quickly brought the paper up to examine it and looked around to see where it had come from. She caught sight of the terrier as he boarded a truck, joined by several of Twolegs in identical uniforms. One waved to the cats as the truck drove off.

So Owlflame opened the paper and read it, then she quickly turned to Sunstar and gave him the note, meowing, "I think you guys should hear this. 'If you want to find the truth, meet me under the north end of the Yellow Brick Road Bridge at moonhigh."

**...**

So Owlflame, Sunstar, and Shard went over to the Silk Road Bridge at the appointed hour. A crescent moon was almost fully hidden by clouds, and another MetalBender airship patrolled the skies just above. The three cats were walking beneath the metal structure, but they stopped when they heard a low yelp

"Over here."

It was the same dark gray terrier stepping out from behind a metal strut as the others approached him. The small dog looked over his shoulder before he began speaking.

"Listen. I joined the Equalists because I believed in what Anubis said," he woofed. "I thought he could make life better for us dogs and non-Bending cats. Yes, even dogs are joining them. But I didn't sign up for this...this war."

"What do you have on Romulus Sato?" Shard asked.

The terrier explained, "He helped make those electric paws for the Equalists."

Owlflame hissed, unable to forget seeing Romulus handling one. "I knew it."

"And there are rumors that he's working on something even bigger," the terrier went on. "Some new kind of weapon."

"But we searched all of Future Productions and found nothing," Sunstar meowed.

The small dog replied, "That's because he has a secret factory."

"Where?" Owlflame asked.

"It's right under the Sato mansion," the terrier woofed. "But that's all you're gettin' from me."

Owlflame gasped as she shared looks with Sunstar and Shard, who both looked as shocked as she. Emerald hadn't mentioned a secret factory when they were talking at the pool or even the racetrack. Had she really known about this secret all along?

**...**

_**Commercial Break**_

**...**

The night sky was lit up with golden light from its many tall buildings. A MetalBender airship flew across the sky above, three certain cats aboard. Within, Owlflame crouched low against the airship's wall, taking a deep breath. What she, Shard, and Sunstar were going to do would go against respect of privacy, but there was no choice.

_I don't care if Redblaze bitches at me anymore. Since our friendship's gone...we'll do whatever we can to expose Romulus for who he is._

She looked over to her right to observe Sunstar and Shard staring down at the city from the main observation deck. Their fur was slightly growing a bit thicker now that they were in the middle of leaf-fall...especially Sunstar, whose pelt made him look more like a lion. Owlflame knew that this would also be her second leaf-fall.

"Raiding the Sato mansion is a chancy move with Hawkfrost after your hide," Sunstar was telling Shard. "And if we're wrong-"

"I know. I'd leave my job forever," Shard interrupted. "But protecting United City is much more important than my job; I bet even your father would do the same. Still, we won't let Anubis get his filthy paws on this new weapon."

Soon, the ship had arrived at the Sato mansion, where its towers and buildings were all lit. When the cats got off, Owlflame looked through a window to see Stonetail, Redblaze, and Emerald all sitting in chairs and relaxing. Sculptures lined the back wall, and the low table in front of the trio boasted a phonograph and a large tray of chicken nuggets. The tabby tom had Timon on his left shoulder as he lowered a nugget into his mouth while Emerald was leaning over to Redblaze and showing him a record sleeve.

_Looks like they don't know what'll happen, _Owlflame thought. _But...poor Emerald._

Suddenly, the doors beside her burst open, and the team of MetalBenders rushed in, all of them in ready Bending stances. They fanned out across the room, followed by Shard and Sunstar. Now knowing what she had to do, Owlflame leapt in after them and got into a fighting stance.

As the phonograph got turned off, Emerald snarled, "What are you doing here?"

"We believe there might be a factory hidden beneath your mansion," Shard informed her.

"I think I would have noticed if there were a factory under my house!" the calico she-cat spat. She turned away and murmured softly yet angrily, "How can you cats make all these lies just to oppress my father?"

"Where _is_ your father?" Sunstar answered her question with this one.

Emerald still looked angrily, but she meowed, "In his garage behind the house."

Nodding, the MetalBenders and the other cats went out to the exterior of the garage, the other three following them. The MetalBending cats were approaching slowly, covering each other and spreading their line of vision out across the large grassy yard; they looked like they were hunting the same prey. Owlflame looked on as they burst through the door and moved out through the garage. Plenty of junk and tools were lying around, but the center of the room was empty.

Sunstar led the others into the shop before flicking his tail at Owlflame. The Avatar Cat knew what that meant; it meant for her to be careful.

"Dad? Hello?" Emerald called, looking around.

"Chief, the estate's been secured," a MetalBender meowed. "No one has left the garage since we arrived."

Shard's eyes narrowed. "Maybe we just couldn't_ see_ him leaving."

At this, she stalked out into the center of the room, her tail held high. She stopped at where she was, turned around, and then abruptly raised a paw a bit towards her neck. Her claws on that paw unsheathed, and finally, she stomped down on the floor. Sighing, she began feeling around in a certain spot, bending low to sniff around now and then.

Owlflame gasped. What Shard was doing what like how Nightfoot sensed her way around the world; Shard was a lot more like her mother than she thought. She recalled hearing stories of the blind EarthBender who had helped Goldstar and Silverheart save the world. Finally, Shard was lifting her head, narrowing her eyes.

"There's a tunnel beneath the garage, running deep into the mountain side," she meowed.

Emerald looked annoyed. "What? There's no tunnel."

Shard looked down at the empty patch of floor, then she took an EarthBending stance and ripped a metal square out of the floor with a wave of her claws. The entire group approached the hole and looked down, a braced dark tunnel with an industrialized elevator below some metal stairs. Emerald looked crushed, Redblaze's brows raised in suspicion, and Owlflame stared on grimly.

Only Stonetail looked rather hesitant. Turning to Emerald, he whispered, "Do you think your dad knows about this tunnel?"

"...I don't understand," Emerald mewed, not answering his question. "There has got to be an explanation for this."

"Maybe you don't know everything about your father," Owlflame mewed with sympathy, turning to her. "I'm sorry."

Emerald just looked away from her. Owlflame lowered her ears; it appeared she was still angry about her accusing her father.

"Officers, into the tunnel," Shard meowed to her warriors. "Watch each other's backs, and be cautious."

All the warriors nodded and padded down the stairs, leaving Redblaze, Stonetail, and Emerald behind. The three cats attempted to follow, but Shard turned to meow, "Nope. You three stay up here. Eaglesong, keep an eye on them."

Eaglesong, a golden tabby tom, nodded while Shard went to follow the other MetalBenders into the tunnel. Owlflame looked back at her friends as she and Sunstar followed Shard, hoping he would say good-luck. Instead, Redblaze gave her one mere look and looked to the side with a displeased expression.

Owlflame sighed and went into the hole after the older cats. It seemed Redblaze still did not want to talk with her...but he looked conflicted. It seemed he had wanted to stay behind and look after Emerald. She did not blame him, for she knew recently how protective the ginger tom could be about his mate. But she got herself back into reality and went on after the others.

The only light Owlflame could see was a spotlight at the front of the elevator and red emergency lighting throughout the shaft. She leaned against a railing, looking around for signs of Romulus around this strange place. After a short ride, the elevator came to a halt against a vertical path that led deeper through the tunnel. The MetalBenders quickly followed after it, moving out in Bending stances.

All the cats emerged into a brightly lit and massive room covered in crisscrossed metal bracing. Near the entrance, two massive banners bearing Anubis' face hung from a rafter. Owlflame felt the fur on her neck rise; it DID look like Romulus was an Equalist cat.

"Not your average backyard factory," Shard muttered, looking around.

Owlflame looked around to see a line of machines parked up against a wall. Casually Twoleg-like, they stood on hind legs that ended in tank treads, boasted a pair of massive clawed arms, and had bulbous heads that resembled diving helmets with large glass view-ports. There were a lot more than those in the front; there were many more in the back.

"And I'm guessing _those_ are the new weapons," Owlflame guessed.

She looked over its metal skin and showing where the plates had been bolted together as armor. Then her gaze traveled up and over the "head," turning around to see that it was standing like a significant vertical distance. The MetalBenders moved to form a circle around Sunstar, Shard, and Owlflame.

"Romulus was lying after all," Sunstar murmured. "But where is he?"

Suddenly, a metal wall popped up from the floor behind them and cut off the whole end of the room with the exit. Most of the lights went out, plunging the room into shadows. Owlflame stared around in the dark, trying to find out what was happening, but...it was too dark.

**...**

Back in the workshop, the three other cats were staring down into the tunnel and heard the sound of the wall clamping shut. This made them, even Eaglesong, jump a bit at the noise, but they did not flee from the garage.

"What in StarClan's name was that?" Stonetail yelped.

Much as he was still angry at Owlflame for accusing Romulus, Redblaze did not want her to get into any trouble. So he meowed, "We need to get down there and see what's going on."

"No," Eaglesong meowed, stepping in their way as they padded forward. "You're staying put until our chief comes back."

Redblaze stepped back, but he shared a look with Stonetail, who nodded. By the way the dust collected on the floor, it could be a way to get past this stubborn cat and help Owlflame. And besides, what else could they do? So he adopted an insincerely cool expression and cleared his throat.

"Okay, we will," Redblaze meowed. "But can we go wait outside? It's so dusty in here."

Eaglesong shook his head. "No. We're waiting right here. No exceptions."

At this, Redblaze looked back at Stonetail, who casually rubbed a forepaw against the floor. Then Redblaze meowed, "Fine. But don't blame me if I start to snee...if I start to snee...if I start to..." He couldn't finish, for he deliberately began sounding as if he really was going to sneeze.

"What's your problem?" Eaglesong asked, his yellow eyes narrowed.

"I'm about to-"

Redblaze leaned back as if to sneeze, but then he threw himself forth and spit out a big flare of fire. This cause Eaglesong to stumble back as Stonetail raised his forepaw, causing a small square pillar to pop out just behind him. The golden tabby cat tripped and fell onto his back, and Stonetail quickly pounced on top of him in a dog-pile. Sighing, Redblaze joined him in pinning him down.

Minutes later, Eaglesong was tied up to a barrel in the garage and gagged. His hat was on the ground next to him, which Stonetail quickly pawed away out of sight. Redblaze felt a little bad in attacking a cat of the law, but if it was to find out if Owlflame was telling the truth, then so be it.

"Sorry, pal. We know you were just doing your job," he meowed. "But we gotta do what we have to do."

"Yeah. Just stay put until the chief come back," Stonetail chuckled. "That sounds familiar, huh? Why? Because you _said_ it."

Leaving Eaglesong to mutter something angrily, the three cats approached the dark tunnel. But Redblaze knew he did not want Emerald to get hurt while she was down there. So while Stonetail went on ahead, he placed himself in front of his mate and nudged her away gently.

He meowed, "You should stay here, Emerald. We'll go check it out."

"I have to find out the truth about my father," the calico she-cat told him urgently. "To see if it's all true or not."

"...I know," Redblaze sighed. "That's why I'm going down: to find out for you. Please," he added with a bit of urgency in his own voice.

Emerald looked down for a minute while Redblaze backed away. Finally, she looked up and meowed, "...okay. But Redblaze...please be careful."

Redblaze looked over his shoulder to give one more look at his mate before padding down the tunnel. His thoughts came back to Owlflame; he didn't want to create more of a mess with her. He just wanted to see how she, Sunstar, and Shard were doing in their search.

**...**

Back in the secret factory, Shard leapt at the trapping wall and tried a Bending move to raise it. The wall didn't respond, so she tried clawing it instead. However, it caused her claws to bleed, so she leapt back instead, panting.

"I'm afraid you won't be able to MetalBend that wall, Chief Bei Fong." The sudden voice made Owlflame's fur stand on end as if she had seen a ghost. Then it happened.

Sickly green spotlights started flipping on, causing the hostages to flinch under the glare. The lights were shown to be coming from the mechatanks, which wear powering on. Groups of the mechatanks drove over and form a half-circle around the Benders. And in one of those things was...Romulus Sato himself, in the cockpit of one of the mechatanks. He was clutching a steering lever in each paw, a sneer on his face.

"It's solid platinum. My mechatanks are solid platinum as well," the ginger tom sneered. "Not even your famous mother could Bend a metal so pure."

Owlflame realized she had been right, but she didn't want to brag about it. Instead, she yowled, "Romulus, I _knew_ you were a lying no-good Equalist bastard! Come out here and-"

Romulus sneered, "And do what, young Avatar Cat? Face the wrath of your Bending? No thank you. I think I'll fight from in here, where my odds are a little more..._equal_."

"That terrier with the source was a trap," Shard hissed. As Owlflame recalled the small dog, the dusky brown she-cat went on, "You lured us down here."

"Guilty as charged," Romulus just retorted, pushing one of the control levers. His mechatank shot out a grappling claw, but all three cats leapt out of the way just when the other mechatanks moved in.

One smashed a claw down toward a group of MetalBenders, but they dodged and shot out their whips to entangle the mechatank. Two other MetalBenders tangled up another of the vehicles while Shard dodged another grappling hook attack and leapt up into the air above it. As she arced through the air, she unsheathed her metal-like claws from her armor. As she landed hard on the mechatank, she slashed at the cockpit's main window and drove her claws in as far as they could reach. More blade attacks burst in through the various windows, keeping the driver from doing anything but twisting around in fright. Shard just continued to away as the mechatank then rolled backwards into some framework.

Owlflame leapt forward at Romulus' mechatank, her claws glowing with fire. The humanoid vehicle rolled forward with hesitation, but then it was pushed back by a burst of air that came from over her shoulder. Sunstar was stalking forward while he was in an AirBending stance as MetalBenders still wrangled mechatanks behind them. The AirClan leader moved towards the Avatar Cat and off to the side, each step carrying him into a different attack that unleashed powerful bursts of wind.

The MetalBenders were pulling at their whips, grunting with effort, but they were starting to be pulled forward by their quarry. One even carved EarthBending scores in the floor with his claws, but that failed to keep him in place. The spool of metal whip-wire on one of their backs started to smoke as the wire was yanked nonstop by the fight. One of the wrangled mechatanks, two whips wrapped around its left claw, had its arm move around to try to resist, then it locked into place and paused for a second. Suddenly, electricity emanated from the claw, traveling up the metal wire and shocking the MetalBenders. They all screeched in pain and got launched backwards while the mechatank was freed.

Shard, still slicing away at her still mechatank target despite having already shattered every window, turned around and was immediately struck by one of the projectile grappling-claws. She was thrown off her mechatank, crashed and bounded off the nearby scaffolding, and then was yanked flying into the air by another mechatank. She came to a hard landing on the floor and bounded off a few times.

Meanwhile, Owlflame and Sunstar were double-teaming another mechatank; it was pushed up against a while, struggling against incessant fire and air blasts. Inside the cockpit, Romulus was being bounced around by the attacks, a piece of glass cutting right near his eyes. The ginger cat snarled in fury and pushed both his control levels forth. One of the mechatank's grappling-claws shot forward at Owlflame, but she leapt to the side with a series of flips that carried her out of the claw's continuing path. She EarthBended a chunk of the floor into the air and fired it back at the mechatank, but another claw came at her from behind and caught her. She was pushed flying into some of the metal machinery on the far side of the factory and bounced off painfully.

"Owlflame!"

She had just heard her mentor's yowl as he shot a eddying sphere of air that caught her and landed her softly on the ground. Owlflame got back up to her paws, her shoulder and her legs bleeding from the last attack, but other than that, she was fine.

Seeing her safe, Sunstar turned back to the mechatank and avoided another grappling attack. Romulus' tank rolled forth while firing its claws, and to Owlflame's fury, another mechatank joined the attack. Sunstar once again dodged all the claws and leapt into an AirBending move that made a giant spinning wind-wheel around him. The large golden tom rode it forward like he was surfing and avoided another claw before jumping into the air. The mechatank then stopped and fired some new projectile, a metal disc that deployed small whip-like tendrils. It sliced at Sunstar as he spun through the air in preparation for another counter-attack, wrapping around and electrocuting him. Sunstar let out a yowl of pain as he collapsed to the ground, a small trickle of blood coming out from his mane.

Her eyes barely able to open, Owlflame raised her head a bit to see if Sunstar was losing a life. But before she could meow something, she laid her head and sighed, feeling herself become unconscious.

**...**

From a big hole in the floor, Redblaze and Stonetail peeked out to see the scene. They could see Romulus' tank come to a stop, and the front opened into panels that let the driver climb out. Romulus stepped down onto the factory floor and looked at his defeated enemies as the Deputy stepped forward to join him.

"Well, that was a flawless test run," Romulus was chuckling evilly. To the other mechatanks and pointing his paw at the Benders, he screeched, "Load everyone into the vehicles and deliver them to Anubis! They are his prisoners now!"

Pairs of trucks pulled up and were now parked amidst the mechatanks. Masked Equalists now dragged the unconscious MetalBenders to the trucks' cargo-containers. To the side, near where the three cats were lying, a panel of the floor lifted up slightly and scraped to the side. Redblaze could not believe what he was seeing; Romulus WAS working for the Equalists!

"Oh no," Stonetail groaned as an Equalist tossed another MetalBender into the truck.

"Owlflame was right," Redblaze mewed, ashamed that he accused Owlflame of what she knew. He knew he should never have called off their friendship; he just didn't want it to be true like Emerald did. But now was not the time to wallow in pity.

So he hissed, "We gotta do something, and quick!"

As the Equalists continued their work, the two brothers crept closer, stopping to hide behind a large tubular tank. After pausing to make sure they weren't spotted, they ran out to get the others. Stonetail grabbed Sunstar's scruff and hauled the AirBender up onto his back, audibly struggling with the heavy weight, while Redblaze lifted Owlflame onto his own back. Then they both bent their heads down and each grab Shard's scruff and tail.

Suddenly, they heard a hiss as they turned to the newcomer. Romulus was stalking towards them, wearing mechanical paws that crackled with electricity, while the Deputy trotted alongside him, fighting sticks at ready.

"Not so fast, boys," Romulus growled.

Quickly, Stonetail dropped Shard's scruff and started flailing Sunstar's forelegs around as he meowed, "Hey, Mr. Sato. Wow. What a really swell and scary factory you have here under your giant mansion!"

Redblaze, having figured something else out, gently laid Shard's tail before glaring up at the ginger tom. "Sponsoring our team...supporting Owlflame...it was all just a big cover."

"Yes. And the hardest part was watching my daughter..." His voice grew more hateful with each word. "...tramp around with a disgusting FireBending street rat like you! My daughter does not deserve you, you sack of FireBending fox-shit!"

He sent another shock through his paws and stepped towards the brothers. Redblaze let his claws slide out, ready for a battle and ready to make this traitor pay.

"Dad, stop!"

Redblaze looked to the side, very surprised to see Emerald staring at them with horror in her green eyes. He figured she wanted to see if it was all true...which it really was.

Anyways, Emerald turned away before looking back at her father with a sad face. "Dad? How...how could you?"

Romulus' green eyes were now gentle as he gazed fondly at her. "Sweetheart, I wanted to keep you out of this for as long as I could, but now that you know the truth, please forgive me. These Benders, these _demons_...they killed your mother, the love of my life. _They've ruined the world_! But with the help of Anubis, we can fix it and build a perfect world together. A world without any Bending cats in the Clans."

Emerald had a stunned expression on her face before she avoided his piercing gaze.

"We can help cat like us everywhere," Romulus went on, taking off an electric paw and pawing it over to his daughter. "Please, Emerald...join me."

_No! _Redblaze yowled quietly, his heart thudding worse than ever. It was bad that Romulus had betrayed them (and that he might never apologize to Owlflame), but it was even worse to see Emerald join her father and the Equalists.

Said tortoiseshell she-cat just stared, her eyes shiny with unshed tears. She slowly moved to her father, looking down at the paw with an expression that could be fear and wonder, as she reached out a trembling paw. Redblaze, Owlflame (who had just started opening her eyes) and Stonetail looked on, crushed. Finally, Emerald took the paw and slipped it on while she looked at it, her expression harsh.

"No," Redblaze rasped. His mate...had joined the bad side.

Emerald closed her eyes and turned her head, murmuring, "I love you, Dad."

But just then...to everyone's wonder and shock...she whirled around and hit Romulus on the head with a massive burst of electricity. He yowled in pain and fell, but not before swiping his paw at her face, making her groan in pain. As soon as he was down, the Deputy rushed over and tried to attack her with his sticks, but she gave a high kick to the belly that pushed him out of the way. She stopped his second attack by grabbing his throat and twisting him around that both brought him to the ground and shocked him with the electric paw, making him scream before he fainted.

Redblaze and Owlflame stared on with stunned slack-jawed expressions. Emerald had just attacked her own father and even refused to join the Equalists! Part of him was relieved that she made the right choice, but now, two of the mechatanks turned to view the commotion.

"Let's get outta here!" Redblaze yowled, running off.

The cats followed him as they ran, hopping down through the hole Stonetail made before. Just as Emerald was escaping, leaving only Stonetail, one of the mechatanks fired off the electric bola-disks used to overpower Sunstar. Before the first one landed, Stonetail leapt down the hole and pulled it shut behind him by EarthBending a slab of the floor over like a door.

**...**

Once they were safely on board, the MetalBender airship began flying away from the Sato estate. Within, Emerald was through the windows as her home shrank away; the scar Romulus gave her was still on her right eye, dark and bloody from his claws. She looked devastated and held on to a pole for support. Redblaze was looking at her in sympathy, Owlflame doing the same. She felt bad that Emerald had to lose her father by the Equalists...and her home since she was no longer safe there.

Owlflame looked past them to a bench where Shard was resting. The back of her neck and paws were being covered in cobwebs, but she didn't look hurt a lot...just sad. Sunstar was beside her, looking down at his former mate.

"My fellow MetalBenders are on their way to Anubis...and it's my fault," Shard rasped weakly, a sad look on her face. "Hawkfrost was right. I failed as Chief of the MetalBenders. So at sunrise tomorrow, I'll hand in my resignation."

"No!" Sunstar barked, sounding urgent and worried. "You can't give up! Not like this. We are warriors."

Shard sat herself up painfully in a sitting position. "Did I say I was giving up? Or course not. I'm going to find my officers and take Anubis down. But I'll do it my way...outside the law."

Sunstar gazed down at her, but he didn't react. Instead, he bowed his head, showing a long scar made by one of the mechatanks.

Back with the others, Owlflame looked down in defeat. Behind her, Stonetail was looking out the window with Timon chirping on his shoulder. She saw Redblaze pad over towards her, and she was amazed to see him look him look ashamed.

"Owlflame, I'm so sorry I didn't believe you," Redblaze muttered, looking into her eyes. "It's just...Emerald's dad being an Equalist is not an easy thing to believe...even now."

"I know," Owlflame muttered, hanging her head. "I'm sorry this whole thing happened."

Redblaze nodded a bit. "So does your offer to live at AirClan Island still stand, friend?"

Owlflame looked up and gaped at him in surprise. "But what about our friendship being over? And about you saying I abused Emerald's trust? Was that true?"

"No. I take that all back. I didn't mean any of it," Redblaze mewed, looking even more ashamed of himself. "So when we get settled in, I'll make it all up to you. I promise."

"Then of course the offer still stands, buddy," Owlflame purred. "And Emerald can live there too."

Redblaze gently nudged her shoulder with his muzzle. "Thank you so much."

Owlflame nudged him back. "Redblaze, after everything she's been through today...she's gonna need you."

The ginger tom nodded, his eyes relieved, as he turned around and approached Emerald. He gently nudged her shoulder, and she responded by leaning against him on his chest. Owlflame watched them for a moment or two before turning away. It hurt that she could not ask Redblaze to be her mate now...but she wanted him to be happy. And if it meant he could be Emerald's mate, then she would not stop him.

Outside, the airship approached the glowing United City, the moon rising high. Owlflame looked over the city, hoping to get to those Equalists and end them before it was too late.

_**To be continued...**_

**...**

**AvatarCat12: Now how's that for a bittersweet ending?**

**Mako: (Smiles a bit) I'm at least glad Korra and I made up after what happened. I just felt angry at thinking she was lying.**

**AvatarCat12: That's a thing about friendship. It's about trust. But anyways, would you like to say the review thing and the preview for When Extremes Meet?**

**Mako: Sure. Anything to get me started to do something. (To the readers) Remember to read and review, folks. Anyone who does will get either a figurine of Emerald or even a voodoo doll of Romulus. We don't allow flames here, but we DO welcome constructive criticism and advice.**

**Preview: Hawkfrost's recent rules have started to restrict the rights of non-Benders! So after a depressed Owlflame gets encouraged by her friends, the four cats decide to bring back the name of AvatarClan and rescue the non-Benders. But will they get a chance at all for cleansing the city of evil, or will Hawkfrost stand in the way?**

**Both: See ya next time!**


	9. When Extremes Meet

**AvatarCat12: Hey, folks! Sorry to keep you waiting. Today, we're gonna upload another chapter of Avatar Cat 2: Legend of Owlflame. And today, we're gonna have a new guest over here with the commentary. Welcome...Bolin and Pabu!**

**Bolin: (Comes in with his signature pose) Hey, everyone! And hey, Avatar Cat! You uploading a new chapter?**

**AvatarCat12: Yep. And it's five days before Halloween. What're you gonna do on there?**

**Bolin: I have no idea. What about you, what're you gonna do?**

**AvatarCat12: Maybe help my grandma with trick-or-treaters. You wanna go ahead, Bo?**

**Bolin: Sure.**

**Disclaimer: He owns none of the two and never will!**

**Summary: ****Hawkfrost's recent rules have started to restrict the rights of non-Benders! So after a depressed Owlflame gets encouraged by her friends, the four cats decide to bring back the name of AvatarClan and rescue the non-Benders. But will they get a chance at all for cleansing the city of evil, or will Hawkfrost stand in the way?**

**Uploading Date: October 26, 2012**

**Both: Enjoy!**

**...**

_**When Extremes Meet**_

The smell of saltwater tickled Owlflame's nose as the ship that looked like a junk boat sailed towards AirClan Island. Then she saw them. With a chirping Timon on his shoulder, Stonetail was standing near the edge of the boat, looking excited at arriving at the island as Timon let out a chirp. Behind him, Redblaze and Emerald were cuddled up next to each other, looking just as excited about going to the island. Behind the couple, there was an Air Devotee controlling the sails much like a Twoleg would do.

_It'll be fun to hang out with my friends again, _Owlflame thought. Despite what had happened in the past few days, things were soon to get brighter.

Finally, they had arrived at the island as the boat pulls into the dock. Owlflame was waiting with Sunstar's kits on the dock and, as they saw the ship pull in, waved their tails to them.

"You're finally here!" Plumkit squealed as two Air Devotees lowered a ramp from the boat to the dock. "Welcome to AirClan Island! Your new home!"

"Yeah! Welcome to my domain!" Foxkit mewled.

Stonetail had a bag slung over his shoulder and began to get off the ship, purring to the kits, "Well ain't you two sweet, little monk kits?"

Timon leapt down from his master's shoulder towards the ground and chirped as he walked around Foxkit. The pale ginger kit poked his paw towards the meerkat curiously and mewed, "Wow...what's this fuzzy animal?"

"That's a Fire Meerkat," Ivykit spoke up, sounding like a feline almanac. "A terrestrial mammal common to the deserts and open savannahs of EarthClan. Their diet includes insects, scorpions, and other small animals."

"Awww!" Plumkit squealed, watching as Timon scratched his ear. "He's so cuuute!"

At that, the gray tabby kit ran towards Timon, Foxkit AirBended up in the air, and Ivykit laid down and covered her ears with her paws to silence her sister's shrieks. Timon just hissed like a startled cat at Plumkit, who followed him (giggling) as he ran under Nisa. But even Nisa wasn't safe from the crazy and finny antics of the AirClan kits.

Foxkit had landed on top of Nisa's head and grabbed the dire wolf's ears, pulling her head back and trying to ride her like a horse. Owlflame wondered how Nisa handled herself around small kits, but Nisa didn't seem to want to snap at Foxkit. However, she did look peeved.

"Yip yip!" Foxkit was mewling. "Fly, dragon, fly!"

Nisa did not react to the pale ginger kit's antics while Plumkit continued to chase Timon around the dock. Owlflame purred at this before turning back to Redblaze and Emerald, who had just padded up to her. The scar Romulus had given his daughter was still there on her eye, but to her relief, the blood had been washed away, leaving a pink scratch.

"Thanks for sending the Air Devotees to help us move here," Redblaze meowed to her warmly.

"Yes, they've been amazing!" Emerald purred, sounding thankful. "They're such tireless and hard workers."

Behind them, two Air Acolytes were carrying several trunks of luggage, grunting as they inched their way down the ramp. This made Owlflame raise her brows at this; she thought Emerald would at least pack up a bit lighter...but what was done had been done.

"Oh...I thought you were only bringing a few-" But she yelped on that word as the luggage was threatened to topple onto her, but the Air Devotees managed to balance themselves in time. Then she got back to meowing, "I thought you were only bringing a few things?"

As the Air Devotees righted themselves up and padded towards the island, Redblaze rolled his amber eyes and teased, "Trust me, it could've been worse. But seriously, thanks for letting us all stay here."

Owlflame purred, "No problem. Everyone here wants you guys to feel welcome here."

So they padded all the way to the gates of AirClan Island as Nisa chased after Timon while the rest of the cats strolled behind them. Plumkit was skipping around the other cats, humming to herself now and then. Owlflame could not wait to hang out with her friends each and every day. This must be what it felt like to spend time with Clanmates after she spent time with no feline friends at her training place at home.

Suddenly, Emerald turned to her right as her expression changed to interest. As Owlflame then trailed her gaze, she knew who the tortoiseshell she-cat was looking at. Foxkit was staring rather admiringly at her with a smile on his face.

"You're pretty," the little cat mewed. "Can I have some of your fur?"

Redblaze and Emerald stared down at Foxkit before the former purred in amusement. "Looks like I have a little competition," he joked.

Emerald purred with her mate as Owlflame did the same.

"And now for the grand tour!" Plumkit called. She started flicking her tail everywhere and began to meow fast, "The dragons sleep in those caves down there by the shore, and that's the temple Grandpa Goldstar built, and that's the forest where we hunt for our food!" She turned back with a wide smile on her face, adding, "Any questions?"

No one spoke at first. Then Stonetail meowed, "Yeah, I have a couple questions." As Plumkit turned to face the EarthBender, Stonetail started to ask his questions rapidly, "Is this an all-prey island? Is that where you train AirBending? Do we have to hunt in the forest every day? Do we each get our own dragon? And final question, how many trees are on this island?"

Plumkit tilted her head to the side a bit before answering: "Yes, yes, no, no, and ten thousand five hundred and fifty-three."

All four juvenile cats stared down at the gray tabby she-kit, dumbfounded. Sunstar must have taught his kits a lot about the island they were living on.

Finally, to break up the awkward silence, Redblaze meowed, "So where are we going to stay?"

"You're a tom," Foxkit squeaked. "You have to stay on the toms' side."

"Except for our mother and father. They're mates, so they share the same den," Ivykit added. "But I'd be happy to show you to the toms' dorm." Then the light brown she-kit ran over to the toms' sleeping grounds, Redblaze following her.

Stonetail sprang after them, yowling, "Hey, I'm a tom too!"

Owlflame purred, "Hey Foxkit, how about you go with the toms and Ivykit too?"

Foxkit nodded and raced off after his older sister. But he stepped back to squeak to Emerald, "We'll meet again soon, beautiful she-cat."

As soon as Foxkit was gone, Owlflame turned around towards the she-cats' area and meowed, "So anyways, Plumkit and I will take you to your room. This way."

She and Plumkit then led Emerald over to the dormitory where the she-cats would stay. All three cats were quiet as they tried to find something they could say to each other. Owlflame was quite amazed that Emerald was a kittypet about to be a warrior, but she knew it was always possible to do that. Nightfoot, Shard's mother, had once been a kittypet before she helped Goldstar save the world. Even Firestar, Goldstar's ancestor, had been a kittypet who faced extreme bigotry.

Then Plumkit broke the silence by meowing this: "Hey Emerald! Did you know Owlflame likes Redblaze?"

Here, Owlflame felt her heart stop as she stopped in her tracks as her eyes grew wide open in horror. Then we will see her face contort comically and yowl with shock, fire and lightning erupting behind her.

**(Bolin: And enter Reshiram and Zekrom! 'Cause...they're Pokémon.)**

Then we go back to the story. Anyways, Owlflame gaped down at Plumkit in shock. How could she say something that was supposed to be a private matter? Anyways, Emerald did not look angry, but she looked a bit surprised.

"Huh..." she meowed. "I...didn't know that."

Not wanting to let Plumkit tell her about the nuzzling scene, Owlflame began nudging Emerald towards where she was staying at. She slid the doors open to reveal her room, turning to smile at her as she flicked her tail to the room. Emerald padded inside and began looking around while Owlflame came in and and slammed the door shut before Plumkit could come in.

"Hey!" the kit squealed.

"Run along, Plumkit!" Owlflame called through the door. "Why don't you go play catch the moss ball with Ivykit and Foxkit?"

Plumkit let out a little sigh. Now we'll add in the part where her eyes glowed white comically and roared like a tiger as she clawed her paws around. Her eyes stopped glowing as she pouted angrily, and we go on with the story.

Owlflame leaned against the door while Emerald looked lost in thought. She hoped she wouldn't start asking her questions about like Redblaze, or it could be disastrous. But Emerald didn't say anything about it, making Owlflame sigh in relief and pad over towards her.

"So...here's your room!" she purred, looking around the slightly bare room. "I know this is a little rural compared to what you're used to..."

"I think it's really charming," Emerald purred as she padded towards the window. "And you know what the best part about it is? It's that nothing here reminds me of my father. Thank you so much for your hospitality."

Just then, her sentence got interrupted by a few urgent knocks on the door. Owlflame began to growl and stalked towards the door, wondering why Plumkit was being so nosy.

"Plumkit, I swear to StarClan, if you don't leave, I'm gonna-" she snarled, opening the door.

But it wasn't Plumkit. Instead, Sunstar was standing before her, giving her a confused look as if to ask why she was angry. Owlflame backed off in shock and attempted to calm down, meowing, "Uh...hey, Sunstar! Come on in!"

The large golden tom nodded before coming in. "Good morning, ladies. Welcome to AirClan Island, Emerald."

"Thank you for having me here," Emerald purred back, bowing to him. Then she meowed, "I've heard that cats have to get a warrior name in order to become a warrior. Is that true?"

"You don't really have to have a warrior name to be one," Sunstar replied after bowing back to her. "What matters more than names is loyalty to a Clan." To Owlflame, he meowed, "Shard's replacement Lynxclaw is going to be instated as the new Chief of Police later on. I think we should both be there."

Owlflame nodded. She wanted to know if Shard was going to be there to see Lynxclaw take her place...but she was probably at the vet by now.

**...**

"It was an honor, serving under Chief Bei Fong for moons," Lynxclaw told the gathering crowd. He was standing on a podium with Hawkfrost and another council cat standing behind him. "And I wish her a speedy recovery. It is with great modesty that I take over as the new chief of police. United City is facing a threat like none we ever seen, not even when Darkstar tried to take over the world. But there is one cat who works hard against this revolution. Thank you, Hawkfrost!"

Hawkfrost gave a polite bow while some reporters took a couple of pictures. Owlflame growled at the sight of his smug face looking so smug and superior. _That arrogant bastard!_

Lynxclaw continued, "That is why, for all matters involving the Equalists, I will report directly to him. The police will lend any and all obtainable resources to this cat and his task force until we defeat this revolution!"

Owlflame was shocked. Who was really the chief of police here? Hawkfrost or Lynxclaw? So she whispered to Sunstar, "What is that snake Hawkfrost up to now?"

Both cats glared at him while the crowd in front of the police station had already dissipated. As Hawkfrost was nodding to the FireClan representative before she left with the others, Owlflame did not want to see this smug cat get away with anything. But Sunstar beat her there first.

"Hawkfrost." The gray-&-white tom turned around as Sunstar approached him. "I don't know what you did to get Lynxclaw on your side, but I highly think it was illegal."

"Oh, Sunstar." There was a smile on his face. "Always the conspiracy theorist, you are. Have you ever considered that Lynxclaw simply sees my talents and wants what is best for this city?"

Sunstar gave a groan and looked away. Seeing Owlflame, Hawkfrost purred, "Well, Avatar Cat Owlflame, long time no see. Now that your Pro-Bending disturbances are over, I look forward to see you return to my force."

"Screw that force of yours!" Owlflame spat. "There's no way I'm rejoining your vanity project!"

"Oh?" Hawkfrost looked a bit disappointed, but he looked calm. "That...is unfortunate. But I'm sure you'll come to your senses like you did in the past."

Owlflame growled, "Don't waste your breath, bub. You know, I know now that Sunstar's right about you. You've tricked me, you've tricked Shard, and now you're tricking the new Chief of Police too." Taking a step towards him, she went on, "Well, I've got news for you, asshole. _You_ need _me_, but _I_ don't need _you_. I'm the Avatar Cat. Remember?"

She expected Hawkfrost to lose his temper, but to her surprise, he didn't. Instead, he replied very calmly, "You're not, in fact, the Avatar Cat. Not entirely yet, anyways. You're just a half-trained Avatar Cat in training. Which reminds me. How is your AirBending going? Made any substantial progress with that?"

Owlflame looked away, unable to give a retort. It was true; she couldn't do AirBending yet, so she couldn't go into the Avatar Cat State, a defensive mechanism that unleashed the power of the Avatar Cat. Seeing the look on her face, Hawkfrost curled his lips into a sneer.

"I...didn't think so. If you will not be part of my task force, then you better stay out of my way."

Sunstar stepped forth and laid a paw on Owlflame's broad shoulder reassuringly. The blue-gray she-cat glared up angrily towards Hawkfrost, but he was already prowling away, his tail held high in the air. She knew she could not let his insults get to her, but for some odd reason, that had already happened.

**...**

"I don't know what's wrong with me!" Owlflame hissed as she and Sunstar rode on Ryu above the city. "I've learned almost all the practice moves, but I still can't even produce a single small puff of air! I'm a failure," she added, hanging her head.

"No you're not." Owlflame looked up as her mentor spoke on, "You just need to work through this AirBending block."

Owlflame heard this before, but she didn't want to hear more about it. "Amazing advice you got there. I'll get right on that!" she groaned sarcastically.

But Sunstar went on, "I wasn't finished yet. You see, Goldstar not only had his Bending mentors and friends, but he also had his past lives to call on for guidance. Like Whitestorm, Heavyrose, and many more. Have you ever tried to make contact with your past lives? To talk with them?"

"No, of course I haven't!" Owlflame growled, unable to bear this block. "Didn't you get that note from the Order of the Phoenix? I'm a spiritual failure too."

"You may have made a link without even realizing it," the AirClan leader meowed, looking back to the front. "Perhaps something you mistook as a dream?"

Owlflame blinked, recalling all the visions she would have before falling unconscious. "Maybe. Hey, Sunstar?" After a grunt for her to go on, she mewed, "I had a few weird visions from when I get knocked out...but I don't even remember them."

"And did you see any of the previous Avatar Cats in these visions of yours?"

"I saw Goldstar," Owlflame replied as Sunstar turned around, having heard his father's name. "It looked like he was in danger from something. What do you think it means?"

Sunstar turned away. "I don't know. But I advise you to meditate a bit more on these visions. I believe Goldstar must be trying to tell you something."

**...**

Owlflame looked out towards Goldstar's statue, feeling meek and feeble. Hawkfrost was right; she wasn't a true Avatar Cat...not yet anyways. She hadn't learned AirBending, and she hadn't learned how to master the Avatar Cat State. Now she felt like she was too far away from ever completing her training.

_Why aren't I spiritual? It just never crossed my mind._

Still sitting on the cliff, she lowered her head as tears leaked down her cheeks and down towards the water. Owlflame felt her shoulders shake from shameful sobs, unable to bear the ineptness she felt about helping United City. She had never felt so hopeless before, unable to get through with her spiritual side because of a simple block. It was too hard.

"Owlflame?" Redblaze's voice made her turn her head towards the voice. "You out here?"

"Ooowwwlllffflllaaammmeee!"

That was Stonetail calling as Timon suddenly appeared from a berry bush. The Fire Meerkat climbed onto her shoulder and started licking away the remaining tears on her face. Owlflame felt a bit better in having this company and turned away when Redblaze, Stonetail, and Emerald came walking towards her.

As Timon leapt onto his owner's back, Stonetail meowed, "Oh, here you are. You okay, buddy?"

Owlflame shrugged. "Yeah. I'm fine."

"Come on, what's wrong?" Redblaze insisted as he still looked worried. "You can tell us. We're your friends."

"How can I save the city when I can't even learn AirBending?" Owlflame rasped, feeling a new tear slide down her face. "I'm the worst Avatar Cat ever! I just feel...alone."

Emerald looked sympathetic. "No you're not. You're amazing!"

Redblaze nodded. "Yeah, and remember, Goldstar hadn't learned all of the elements yet before he saved the world. He was an apprentice when he started his journey!"

Owlflame nodded a bit, recalling the stories of how Goldstar, back then Goldpaw and Goldwing_, _had started his journey with two WaterClan apprentices. Silverheart and Ashfeather, her brother, had been those apprentices along with Nightfoot and Bearstar, back then Bearclaw. The world had been saved thanks to Goldstar and his pack of friends called AvatarClan. She knew that she was also a young warrior, so like Goldstar before her, she could save United City.

"And besides, he wasn't alone!" Stonetail added. "He had his friends to help him out. Look, the Pro-Bending arena might be shut down, but we're still a team! The _new_ AvatarClan!"

"We're with you until the end, Owlflame," Redblaze finished, putting his paw onto the dusty ground. "We can save United City together!"

The other cats did the same thing until their paws touched. Owlflame did the same thing; her friends were right. She wasn't alone, for she had friends and allies to help her fight injustice in the city. With all four of them united, they could do anything like fight evil even all over the world like Goldstar had done.

"Yeah," Owlflame purred. "Let's do it!"

Suddenly, Foxkit leapt in from nowhere onto their paws, farting loudly as they looked on in pure shock. "Yeah, let's do it!" he was squealing. "What're we doing?"

New AvatarClan purred with amusement as Foxkit spun around, sniffing the air.

**...**

"Get ready, United City," Stonetail meowed as he looked out towards the city. "You're about to be patrolled by AvatarClan! No villain will hide, and justice will prevail!"

He flexed a bit as Emerald flicked her forepaw, getting used to the electric paw her father had made for her. Owlflame realized that they could use an Equalist weapon against the Equalists. She had seen how experienced Emerald had been with the weapon ever since she was almost brought to the bad side.

Redblaze purred to his mate, "You always know how to decorate your outfits, huh?"

"I figure one way to fight Equalists is to use an Equalist weapon," Emerald voiced Owlflame's thoughts as sparks flew from the electric paw.

"All right," Owlflame purred, leaping onto Nisa, who was sitting nearby. As Redblaze and Emerald followed her, she called, "Let's ride!"

Stonetail bounded forward, calling, "Nisa away!"

But just when he jumped onto Nisa, the black-furred she-wolf barked and stooped forth, making all of them slide to the ground. Nisa barked tiredly as she ran off towards where she would sleep for the night. Owlflame predicted that her animal guide didn't feel like going anywhere while nighttime was still here.

Owlflame chuckled awkwardly, meowing as she got up, "All right, screw that. Hey Emerald, you got any ideas?"

In response, the beautiful calico she-cat leapt to her paws and flipped her head fur back. Then she tilted her head to one side and mewed, "Hmmm...I think I have the answer."

So they padded on over to the garage where a Satomobile was parked at. Owlflame could just see the wheels of the Satomobile in the dark as the garage door opened up. The front lights of the car turned on while Stonetail looked down to shield his eyes from the bright light. The monster then revved its engines and proceeded to drive out of the garage all by itself, its tires screeching and black smoke billowing from the exhaust.

Owlflame recognized this vehicle as it came to a stop in front of the cats. It was the same one she and Emerald had ridden in just a few days ago. Its golden color gleamed in the faint porch light, and its wheels looked shiny, especially around the hubcaps.

"You think this'll do?" Emerald asked, looking at the warrior cats.

The three cats stared at the car in awe before jumping into the car. Owlflame and Stonetail sat in the back seat while Redblaze sat in the passenger seat beside his mate.

"I like the new AvatarClan style," the ginger tom purred.

Emerald gave him a smile as she proceeded to change gears, and the car sped off.

**,,,,,,**

The heart of United City was alive with the glow of street lights as AvatarClan's monster sailed down the street. Owlflame was looking over at two stray dogs that looked shocked at these cats driving when the radio came on.

"_Unit 216, cancelled at 10:58 at Army Tower. Come back to the station. Over."_

Emerald gave a small snort. "My dad had police scanners installed in all of his cars. I guess I know why now."

But then the radio cracked to life, making the cats turn their attention to it. "Calling all units! Level 4 alert! Jailbreak at headquarters, officers down, dogs electrocuted! Chi-blockers and Equalist convicts are still at large, armed and dangerous, last seen heading east!"

"Wow...that's tough," Stonetail remarked as all four looked around at each other.

"I repeat, Level 4 alert! Equalist jailbreak!" the radio continued shouting.

But as they rode on down the street, a few motorcycles and a van sped down an intersection as the surrounding cars braked suddenly to prevent impact. Those were probably the cats who had broken out of prison.

Stonetail's eyes were wide as he yelped, "Chi blockers!"

"That's them!" Redblaze meowed, his own eyes narrowing.

"Come on!" Owlflame told her team. "We gotta get 'em!"

Emerald nodded and changed gears, making AvatarClan's car turn to the left to pursue. A couple of Equalists on motorcycles drove past on another street while AvatarClan's car was in pursuit. It drove over one of the several bridges in the city, and Owlflame felt her claws unsheathe, ready to sink them into Equalist fur.

**...**

_**Commercial Break**_

**...**

A couple of monsters swerved out of the way of the Equalist entourage as they drove on the wrong side of the street. Quickly, AvatarClan's vehicle swerves to avoid the stalled monsters, making Owlflame feel grateful that there were no crashes. Emerald's vehicle narrowly scraped against the second monster, but it kept on pursuing. The Equalists drove by as a huge truck came to a stop.

"Owlflame! Stonetail!" the calico she-cat called as they stood up. "Give me a ramp! Now!"

Both of them swung their paws around as they EarthBend some ramps up. Their car managed to clear the ramp and fly over the truck; everyone in the car let out yowls as they landed safely and continued the chase. Stonetail was looked around, his head fur all messed up in front of his face before he pulled it back.

Beside them, Redblaze got up to the car hood carefully and generated lightning from his tail, throwing it at an Equalist motorcycle. One of its tires got blown out by the lightning, causing the vehicle to fall down to the ground. Stonetail began Bending tiny earth rocks from the ground and hurling them towards the Equalists at a rapid fire rate; another Equalist motorist dodged a couple of the rocks, but one managed to take out his back tire. The motorcycle spun out of control as the driver to the ground. And Emerald quickly swerved the car to avoid the fallen Equalist, but a third Equalist looked back at the commotion.

He thumbed a switch on his dashboard with a click, and the exhaust pipes of two motorcycles coughed out black smoke. They maneuvered their vehicles just in front of AvatarClan's car so that the smoke was blown onto them. Owlflame gave a snarl as they rode on; surely this was cheating?!

Emerald pulled down her driving goggles and drove on in determination. As she did so, she called, "Help me out! We've gotta make this turn!"

So Owlflame stood up on her haunches, a forepaw in front of her face, seeing an intersection as a rounded ramp was Bended from the ground. The car drove over the ramp, making the turn very successfully as they still pursued under the smoke cover.

"They don't know we made the turn," Emerald told them. "Okay, get ready..." As she said this, the former kittypet leaned her body forward and changed the gears on the gear stick to speed up. So the car came out from the smoke cover and collided with the two Equalist vehicles, but the two chi blockers jumped into the air and somersaulted onto the car, unhurt.

Redblaze stood up and swiped his flaming claws at one of the Equalists, but he throws a bola around his paw and restrained the ginger tom. The second Equalist jumped into the backseat and rapidly chi blocked Stonetail's outstretching paw as he yowled in pain. Quickly, Emerald swiped an electric paw at this cat, making him snarl in pain and fall into the backseat, unconscious. The Equalist caught Redblaze's throat and pulled him forth while Owlflame grabbed his scruff and pulled him back, causing the Equalist to fall into the passenger seat. Emerald electrocuted him as well while Redblaze shoved the unconscious chi blocker off the car.

Emerald pulled her car beside the Equalist van while Redblaze flicked lightning from his tail towards the van's driver. The van immediately lost control as it flipped on the road, skidding across the surface and knocking over a lamp post before coming to a stop. Smiling at this easy victory, Emerald pulled the car up alongside the truck while her new teammates got out.

Nearby reporters had seen the entire thing and rushed on over to the cats, taking a few pictures. AvatarClan had tired up the Equalists and seated them on the road while they stood guard behind them. A police siren was heard, and a couple of police vehicles pull into the road. Owlflame let a small smug smirk come across her face. She had shown Hawkfrost that a "half-trained Avatar Cat" had beaten the top politician in the city at capturing crooks.

"Owlflame, what in StarClan's beloved do you think you're doing?"

Looking up from an Equalist being taken away, Owlflame turned to see Hawkfrost stalking up to her. His blue eyes were lived, and his gray-&-white pelt was bristling. Smugly, she called, "Oh, hey, Hawkfrost! Nice of you to show up. Here, we captured the escaped convicts for you."

But Hawkfrost just frowned. "What you did was tear up the city and hinder the real authorities in their pursuit of these criminals."

"Hmm...that's funny," Owlflame purred as she patronized him. "I didn't see your little task force or the cops the whole time! If it wasn't for AvatarClan, they would have flown the coop."

"Rrrr..." Hawkfrost looked like he was going to slap her across the face. Instead, he stalked over to the police force, snarling over his shoulder, "This is your last warning! _Stay out of my way_."

At that, he stalked away.

Owlflame watched him go, unbothered by the dire warning he had given her. She was the Avatar Cat, she knew, and she got to do what she wanted or needed to do...like ignore Hawkfrost.

**...**

"United City stands as a beacon of freedom, but the Equalists are using that freedom to tear it all down," Hawkfrost explained, addressing the rest of the council members inside the city hall. "The law I have projected will make it illegal for anyone to be a member of the Equalists or even be associated with them. It also puts into effect a curfew, ensuring all non-Benders are in their own homes by nightfall."

Hearing this unfair sentence, Sunstar stood up and snarled, "Wait a minute, Hawkfrost! You are going too far! You can't punish all non-Benders just for the sins of a few!"

But the WaterClan tom leered at him. "That kind of weakness will only cause our city to fall into Anubis' paws. We must pass this law to ensure everyone's safety. All in favor?"

The FireClan representative shared a look with her WaterClan partner before she raised her paw and he followed suit. To the right, the Southern WaterClan representative followed the same thing, making Sunstar almost angry. His mother's Clan was also buying into this foolish act. But the majority won, and Sunstar sighed dejectedly.

Since everyone was now following Hawkfrost like sheep raised for slaughter, the AirClan leader saw that United City was destroying itself on the inside. This was not what Goldstar and his friends would have wanted; they would have wanted unity among the Clans.

**...**

AvatarClan had decided to stop somewhere and hunt something while they went on their nightly patrol. Owlflame had taught Emerald how to hunt a few nights before, and she had succeeded in catching her first catch: a crow. Beside her, Stonetail was digging happily into a rabbit while Redblaze ripped into a starling. This was what the old AvatarClan would have been proud of: warriors of other Clans teaming up together to fight evil and keep the customs of the Clans.

Owlflame had just begun to dig into her mouse when the radio cracked to life. She lifted her head to hear what was going to happen.

"All available police units, please respond to the 5600 block of Griffin Apartments area!" the radio cried as the other cats looked at it. "Equalists have taken to the streets; consider them armed and dangerous! Proceed with caution!"

Knowing this was another case to solve, the warriors buried their prey and padded to their car, Stonetail jumping over the windshield into the passenger seat and cheering, "Dibs up front!"

But before Owlflame could leap up, Redblaze opened the door for her and gave her a gentle smile, purring playfully, "After you, madam."

"Aww, what a gentleman," Owlflame purred as the ginger tom nudged her in. "Thanks!"

As Redblaze leapt into the car, the two cats missed something: Emerald had watched them from the mirror, her green eyes narrowing. But she didn't say anything about it as she started the car and pulled out onto the streets.

They made it over to downtown...but what they saw made them gape on in shock. The entire block seemed to be suffering from a major black out. A few police zeppelins were even scanning the block with search lights.

"Why the hell is the power out?" Owlflame muttered.

The car pulled up into the darkened streets in the district and stopped. Everyone leapt out of there as Emerald pulled her driving goggles up. But when they got out of the cat, Owlflame could hear barking and mostly yowling; they were filled with fear and anger. Lots of police vehicles had blocked the street, and the citizens (cats and dogs) were now held behind a police barricade. A line of police officers was standing guard as the crowd booed and jeered at the police cats.

"Wait..." Emerald meowed, her long fur bristling. "These citizens aren't armed _or_ dangerous."

Owlflame nodded in return. "Yeah. Sure doesn't look that way."

The whine of a microphone sounded, and the four cats turned towards the noise. Lynxclaw, who was Shard's successor, was standing on top of an armored police truck, holding a microphone in between his paws and addressing the crowd.

"All non-Benders, return to your homes immediately!" the dark tabby was yowling.

"Yeah, we will...as soon as you turn our power back on!" a Rottweiler barked as the citizens around him cheered in agreement.

Lynxclaw yowled more loudly, "Disperse right now or you will all be arrested!"

"You Benders can't treat us this way!" a skinny brown she-cat wailed, her two kits huddling right between her and a black Newfoundland dog.

"Mama, look!" one of the she-cat's kits, a tortoiseshell, squealed. "It's the Avatar Cat!"

As Owlflame, whose heart went out in concern for them, padded forth, the frail queen made her way towards the police barricade while the police close in to stop her. Ignoring them, she yowled, "Please, help us! You're our Avatar Cat too!"

Thinking over what to do with everyone, Owlflame nodded and leapt on top of a street light, making sure everyone could see. "Everyone, please stay calm! I'll put a stop to this!" she told all the cats and dogs.

She leapt down onto the street, not seeing Lynxclaw glare after her but not say anything. But then she saw a tent nearby, and Hawkfrost was leaving it, his blue eyes wide when he saw AvatarClan's car in the road.

Burning hatred and anger boiled in Owlflame's blood when she saw Hawkfrost pad forth and glare around. It must have been him who had made this happen! She had heard of how he had passed the law that all non-Benders had to follow a strict curfew, one Sunstar had said was very unfair. He was her mentor, and she believed him.

So she yowled at him, "Hawkfrost! Turn the power back on and leave them alone!"

Hawkfrost just frowned at her. "You and your playmates have no business around here!"

"We're not going anywhere!" Owlflame snarled. "You don't have the right to treat these innocent citizens like rats!"

"This is an Equalist rally," Hawkfrost growled, flicking his tail towards the crowd. "There's nothing innocent about it."

Emerald stepped forward; Owlflame knew that, as a former kittypet, the tortoiseshell she-cat felt this pain and wanted them freed. Anyways, Emerald meowed, "They're not Equalists. They're just normal citizens who want their rights back. They're not the enemy here."

Incensed, Hawkfrost spat, "Of course they are!" Turning to the cops, he screeched, "Round up all these Equalists!"

So the cops prowled towards the citizens and stomped on the ground, their forelegs outstretched in a Bending gesture. The supports of the barricade fell apart, leaving the red and white barricade boards floating in the air. The crowd began to panic when the boards moved towards them as they attempted to retreat. As if that wasn't harsh, the cops performed a MetalBending gesture in chorus, and the barricade board encircled the crowd. Screeching and whimpering ensued, and Owlflame was shocked to see most of the crowd being trapped by the boards.

As the earth beneath them came off the ground, the rest of the crowd yelped in fear and began to run away. The back of a police truck opened up to a group from the crowd, ready to take them all to jail. Furious at Hawkfrost for doing this, the Avatar Cat ran forth to stand under the cats and dogs that was going to be taken to their doom.

"Stop!" Owlflame screeched as she began to EarthBend the floating earth back to the ground.

The cats and dogs trapped immediately slid underneath the board to escape their confines. She smirked at Hawkfrost growling with anger and purred...but that immediately turned to a snarl. The WaterClan tom created a water whip and lashed it around Emerald's neck to pull her back.

"Hey!" Emerald spat as she struggled. "Let me go!"

"You're under arrest!" Hawkfrost snarled, tugging the whip and pulling her towards him.

"What?!" Redblaze yowled, sounding outraged. "You can't do that!"

Hawkfrost pulled Emerald to the cops as they cuffed her. "Of course I can. She's a non-Bender out past curfew, and her father is a known Equalist conspirator."

Redblaze unsheathed his claws, ready to fight for his mate's freedom. "Let her go!"

"Arrest him!" Hawkfrost told the cops, not paying attention to him. "And his brother!"

Metal cables twirled around their bodies, making the brothers yelp in surprise when they were being tied up. The two cats snarled and struggled as they were dragged towards the cops.

"_ENOUGH!_" Owlflame roared, lifting a slab of earth from the ground with Bending and holding it up threateningly.

No cat moved for a minute, scared of what the Avatar Cat was going to do if a fight broke out. Then Hawkfrost, though looking angry, meowed calmly, "If you do not want to join your friends in prison, put that down and go back to AirClan Island."

Owlflame did not move. _How dare Hawkfrost do this?! _she thought angrily. _How dare this sadistic jackass do all this?!_

"Owlflame, just listen to him!" Redblaze called, concern in his amber eyes. "It's not worth it."

At first, Owlflame did not want to do what they said. But at hearing the urgency in Redblaze's voice, she relented and crashed the slab down onto the ground. Hawkfrost had beaten her in this round, but she would not give up until he paid for what he did and her friends would be free.

"We'll be okay!" Stonetail called as all three cats were led to the police truck. "We promise!"

So Owlflame called, "Don't worry! I'll call Sunstar! He'll get you out!"

But her sadness continued as she saw Redblaze step into another truck. He gazed sadly into her eyes with his own amber eyes before the back door of the truck slammed shut. The others were led into other trucks, giving her sorrowful looks before the doors closed before them. Owlflame lowered her head, unable to get rid of the distraught feelings in her heart and mind.

"So sad to see your little team broken up. You had a good run."

Owlflame spun around to see who had spoken. Hawkfrost was wearing a smug smirk on his face, which infuriated her even more. Anubis had done a lot of terrible things...but this cat was being even harsher than the Equalist leader. She waited until the WaterClan cat got near her before she unleashed her rage at him.

"This isn't over, Hawkfrost!" the blue-gray she-cat snarled at him.

Hawkfrost chuckled darkly. "Oh, I believe it is. Take them away!" he yowled to the police.

So the police vehicles drove away, leaving dust trails behind. Owlflame could only look on after them, helpless and unable to do anything to save them. Despite this, however, she knew she could not give up; StarClan would not want her to give up. Her claws unsheathed and sunk into the earth as she thought of a way to free her friends.

**...**

_**Commercial Break**_

**...**

"Hey!"

Owlflame had tried to go over to the police station to ask about her friends, but so far, no one had answered her. Either they were doing this because they were busy, or they were doing this just because of Hawkfrost. She let out a snarl as the police dog she had tried to talk to padded away from her to speak with another dog.

"I came as fast as I could." Sunstar had run up to her; Owlflame recalled telling him about all of what happened. "Are your friends all right?"

Owlflame shrugged. "I don't know. These frog-brains won't tell me anything!"

Sunstar nodded. "I'll take care of this."

Pawsteps sounded out behind them, and mentor and apprentice turned to see Lynxclaw walking by. He turned and was shocked to see them before trying to walk away to avoid them. But he was stopped by Sunstar, who meowed, "Lynxclaw? I'd like a word with you if you don't mind."

"Sunstar." Lynxclaw looked rather worried at speaking to the AirClan leader. "I'm sorry, but I'm pretty swamped at the moment. Can this wait?"

Sunstar shook his lion-like mane. "No. Three of Avatar Cat Owlflame's friends were wrongly arrested tonight. I'd like you to release them immediately."

But Lynxclaw growled, "They're not going anywhere. They were interfering with police business that night."

"Your so-called police business was rounding up innocent cats and dogs and claiming they were Equalists!" Owlflame spat. "They should be released too!"

"All Equalist suspects are being detained until further notice," the dark brown tabby tom replied. "They will be freed if and when the task force deems they are no longer a threat."

Sunstar growled, "Those cats and dogs are titled to due process under the law!"

Lynxclaw shrugged. "You'll have to take that up with Hawkfrost."

"Oh, I plan to," Sunstar retorted. "I'll do it at the council meeting first thing in the morning."

Lynxclaw glared at him, but Owlflame padded up to him, unsheathed one claw on her paw, and jabbed it at his forehead, snarling, "You are officially the worst Chief of Police _ever_!"

"Calm down," Sunstar meowed, nudging her away. "I'll get this sorted out; just be patient." But while they padded away, after a few steps, Sunstar turned back to Lynxclaw and added quickly, "But you really ARE the worst! _Ever!_"

**...**

A snowflake landed on Owlflame's nose, but she did not feel cheerful. It was night at AirClan Island, and it had begun to snow outside. She was lying in her nest in her room with the lamp on, the window open a bit. Nisa was laying on the floor, but she sat up to lick the snowflake from her master's nose.

Owlflame grunted in fury and unsheathed her claws in frustration. There had to be a way to make Hawkfrost release her friends and stop whatever he was doing. But then, an idea started forming in her head before she sat up and leapt over to the window. She looked out over the bay at United City and turned back around to see Nisa, who was laying her head on her paws.

"Get up, Nisa," she told her wolf. "Let's go."

Minutes later, after getting off the island, Owlflame and Nisa were approaching the City Hall building from the side. Owlflame's heart was burning with a powerful fire as she leapt down from Nisa's saddle.

"Wait for me here, girl," she purred. When Nisa nuzzled her face and licked it, she added, "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

Owlflame left Nisa's side and padded up to the building, looking up at its frostiness. This was it. This would be the time she would confront Hawkfrost over what he had done to the non-Benders of United City. At first, she felt like she was mouse-brained to pad out to the City Hall in the middle of the night and head on back. But she stayed where she was while an inner voice inside her head was yowling at her.

_Come on, Owlflame! Stop standing there until the snow freezes your paws! Get in there!_

Giving a small sigh, she padded around the building and, seeing a lit window, looked through to see who was there.

Hawkfrost himself was in his office from outside the window, writing at his desk with his clerk. Behind him was a carved mural with a waterfall over it. Growling, Owlflame let out a battle cry and leapt through the window, ignoring the cuts she got from the broken glass. She looked up to see Hawkfrost and his clerk startled by a crash as the wind blew in, blowing away his papers.

Approaching the desk as the snow blew into the room, she snarled, "You and I need to talk."

The gray-&-white tom glared at her, but he turned to his secretary and asked, "Are any of the other council members here?"

"I believe everyone has gone home for the night," the brown tom mewled.

"Then you should do the same."

The brown tom paused for a second. "Are you sure, sir?"

"Leave us," Hawkfrost repeated more dangerously. When the brown tom nodded and padded away, he meowed to Owlflame, "You obviously have something on your mind. Spit it out."

"Don't you see?" Owlflame hissed, getting back on track. "You're doing exactly what Anubis says is wrong with Benders! You're just using your power to oppress and intimidate others!"

Hawkfrost sneered, "And you don't?"

Owlflame stared at him in shock, unable to believe he would suggest such a thing. Finding her voice, she retorted, "Of... of course not!"

"Isn't that what you came here to do? Intimidate me into releasing your friends?" Hawkfrost went on. "See, that's what I admire about you: your willingness to go to extremes in order to get what you want. It is a quality we both share."

"You and I are _nothing_ alike!" Owlflame screeched.

Hawkfrost didn't say anything else for a few seconds. Then he meowed, "Look, I'll make you a deal. You fall in line and do what I say, and I'll release your friends."

The blue-gray warrior stared on for a few seconds, trying to believe what he said. "So _that's_ why you arrested them? To get to me?"

"I need your answer," Hawkfrost simply replied, not denying or admitting what he said.

"Fuck no!" Owlflame spat. "HELL fucking no! You might be able to manipulate Lynxclaw into following you, but it won't work on me!"

Hawkfrost stood up and turned around, facing the waterfall. "You will truly regret that decision."

"And YOU need to be stopped!" Owlflame snarled, pointing her paw at him. "You know what? I thought you were nothing like Anubis, but now...you're just as bad as him!"

Then she saw it: a twitch of the ears. Owlflame guessed she had hit a weak spot, for she saw the WaterClan cat's tail swish to and fro and his spine bristle. She unsheathed her claws again, knowing she would somehow have to fight to get him to listen.

Finally, Hawkfrost spoke, his voice becoming an ugly snarl, "I've tried my hardest to work with you, Owlflame. But you've made it impossible...so you need to be silenced!"

At that, he swiftly turned around and threw a blade of water at Owlflame and cutting his desk in half. Owlflame quickly leapt to the side, but the water cut off strands of head fur and smashed into the bookshelf behind her as leapt. Owlflame EarthBended the floor at Hawkfrost, knocking him back into the waterfall. She then lunged and lashed two sets of flaming claws at Hawkfrost, but the gray-&-white tom WaterBended a bubble around himself to block the attack.

After the attack stopped, Hawkfrost began throwing little shards of ice from his claws at her in rapid succession. Owlflame leapt around to dodge, but she was pushed back against the wall. She grunted and dodged and deflected the shards with her claws, yet a shard slashed her side, making her grunt in pain. Hawkfrost continued the hail of ice, and Owlflame lifted up a large stone slab with EarthBending to defend herself. She grunted as she swung her forelegs around and Bended the mural behind the waterfall. The mural rotated and caught Hawkfrost by surprise, knocking him through the wall. He stumbled over the railing but caught it before he could fall.

As Owlflame stalked towards him, he was catching his breath, his head fur a mess. He looked up at the battle-scarred Owlflame as she stood in front of the hole on the wall, ignoring the blood that now dripped from her wounds.

"Still think I'm a half-trained Avatar Cat?" Owlflame snarled, Bending the floor and knocking him down to ground level. She leapt down and created a shockwave and crater when she landed in front of him. "What are you gonna do now, bastard? You're all out of water now!"

Owlflame began to approach Hawkfrost as he stumbled backward, letting her pin him down. She raised a paw up and made flames on the tips of her claws before she let out a battle screech and swiped her claws down. Hawkfrost and held a paw up...making her stop in her tracks and causing the fire to fly to either side of him.

Pain shot through Owlflame's belly as Hawkfrost moved his paws, causing her back legs to twist back. She groaned in pain while her foe held his stance, and his paw movements forced her down to her belly.

"You're in my way for way too long, Avatar Cat, and you need to be removed!" he spat, saliva spraying her face.

"You're...you're a...BloodBender?!" she gasped.

It couldn't be. It could NOT be BloodBending! It was thanks to Silverheart that BloodBending was now illegal anywhere after the dark art was created by an evil rogue named Tawny. But there was no full moon tonight...how in StarClan was he doing this?!

Hawkfrost chuckled darkly. "Very observant, aren't you?"

Owlflame gasped as she tried to look up at him. "It's...it's not a full moon! How...how are you doing this?"

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me," Hawkfrost hissed icily, slicing his claws across her cheek.

At that, he lunged forth, grabbed her by the throat, and flung her hard at one of the pillars that held up the building. Owlflame fell to the ground, bloody and shocked as she stayed on the floor, too weak to fight now. Right before she fainted, she could feel his claws scratch her pelt as her vision gave way to blackness.

Then...another vision came. Thanks to hearing Ivykit's stories, Owlflame now saw the dark gray tabby tom as Ashfeather, Silverheart's older littermate. But he was grunting in pain as he tried to get to his paws. She looked to the side as Nightfoot leapt forth and lashed a metal cable from her paw at Nanulak before she was BloodBended and the cable failed. Finally, there was another part about Nanulak...who was pinning Goldstar down by the throat as the golden tom tried to get up. And that was where her vision went away.

Owlflame woke up in the back of a truck, groaning...until Hawkfrost was before her, just about to close the door. Snarling, she tried to rise to her paws...but she fell and saw the reason why. All four of her paws were tied together along with her tail.

"Where are you taking me?!" she growled, trying to inch her way to him.

"Somewhere where no one will find you," the gray-&-white tom snarled. "Somewhere that not the owls can vomit...or yarp, as they say...their pellets onto you. Say goodbye to United City, Owlflame! You'll never see it again."

Hearing this, Owlflame roared at Hawkfrost, breathing fire at him. Hawkfrost avoided the fire just in time by closing the doors in its path. A thud told her that he slammed his shoulder against the door and padding around to the front. She was trapped.

Loudly, she screeched, "You can't do this! Let me out!"

But the truck was starting to move, causing Owlflame to fall back and have her vision blocked by her blood. She was now all alone, bleeding, weak...and totally defeated. She looked out the only window in the truck to see if StarClan was watching her...but clouds had covered the sky. Only snow fell, and it was as much use to Owlflame as a pebble.

_Goldstar! If you're listening...get me outta here! Please!_

_**To be continued...**_

**...**

**Bolin: ...dang. I never saw it like that. Korra told us she was ambushed. (Pats Pabu, who licks his master's hand)**

**AvatarCat12: She didn't want you to worry. And I was shocked when I saw that Tarrlok was a BloodBender. I thought Katara and Hama were the only ones.**

**Bolin: Yeah...so it is okay if I say the review thing and the preview for Into The Past?**

**AvatarCat12: Sure.**

**Bolin: You hear that, Pabu? We get to say the review thing! (To the readers) Remember to read and review, folks! Those who review will get a virtual bag of their favorite Halloween candy. Folks who give out flames, watch out! Mako's gonna have a fun time makin' some S'Mores with those. And constructive criticism and advice is good.**

**Preview: Now that she is in Hawkfrost's clutches, Owlflame has no idea how to escape from her prison. However, she does figure out a way to pass the time: find out what the visions Goldstar has sent her really mean. But what she finds at the end will not be what she has expected. Meanwhile, Shard works with Owlflame's friends and Sunstar to find Owlflame when they think the Equalists have kidnapped her.**

**Both: See ya next time!  
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	10. Into The Past

**AvatarCat12: Hey, everyone! Sorry about the long wait, but we're fixing to see another episode of Avatar Cat 2. And joining us today is the kind and beautiful Asami Sato!**

**Asami: (Shakes his hand) It's really good to meet you, Avatar Cat. I've been reading this FanFic for a while, and I've really started to enjoy it.**

**AvatarCat12: Good. And is it okay if I tell you a little something? (Asami nods) When you made your debut appearance in The Voices In The Night...my jaw dropped since...**

**Asami: (Smiles and blushes) Thanks for the compliment, Avatar Cat. And if you don't mind, I'd like to say the disclaimer.**

**AvatarCat12: Of course! Go ahead.**

**Disclaimer: He owns neither The Legend Of Korra nor Warrior Cats. Bryke and Erin Hunter do.**

**Summary: Now that she is in Hawkfrost's clutches, Owlflame has no idea how to escape from her prison. However, she does figure out a way to pass the time: find out what the visions Goldstar has sent her really mean. But what she finds at the end will not be what she has expected. Meanwhile, Shard works with Owlflame's friends and Sunstar to find Owlflame when they think the Equalists have kidnapped her.**

**Uploading Date: November 18, 2012**

**Enjoy!**

**...**

_**Into The Past**_

Owlflame felt like she was twisting around too much like a snake as Hawkfrost kept on using BloodBending on her. Pain shot through her entire body as she was forced down the stairs, the evil WaterClan tom using his tail to BloodBend. He was padding down the stairs behind her, deep in concentration and controlling her in a twisted puppet-like fashion.

They arrived at the bottom of the basement as Hawkfrost stalked down the stairs and levitated Owlflame towards a metal box that sat in the center. He levitated her into the box and turned her around to face him, an intense look of concentration on his face. She ignored the pain of her recent wounds and the blood trickling down to her paws as she glared at him.

"What are you doing?!" Owlflame mewled fearfully.

But her paws had already landed on the floor inside the metal before she had a chance to move anymore, Hawkfrost slammed the door in front of her face with all his might. Owlflame stumbled backwards from the blow, her forehead bruising from the impact, as she heard a small click from the outside. She was locked.

"HAWKFROST!" she screeched, throwing her weight against the metal door. "You can't keep me in here forever! Let me out, you crazy bastard!"

But it seemed he was ignoring her threats as he casually stalked up the stairs. Owlflame kept ramming into the door on the box, screeching her anger and fear out. Through the banging she heard a Satomobile starting before it drove away into the snowy wilderness. Owlflame stopped the banging to rest before she could start again. She was alone in this hut...with no one to help her out of here.

_StarClan help me!_

**...**

The sun rose over AirClan Island at sunrise as a telephone ringing reached Sunstar's ears. Next to him, his mate Dawnfall was sleeping...and Foxkit was in between them. During the night, his son had a nightmare about Dark Forest cats, so the AirClan leader let him sleep with them for the night. It was hard for him to sleep between them at the start, for his father's large size and his mother's swollen belly had almost given him no room; plus, it looked like Dawnfall would give birth any day now. But in the end, he managed to sleep at last.

As the phone rang, Foxkit woke up with a yawn, rubbing his eyes sleepily. He looked towards the phone and crawled over his father's broad face to pick him up. Sunstar grumbled a bit as he heard Foxkit picking up the phone.

"Who is this?" Foxkit squeaked. "It's six in the morning. This better be important!"

"Seems like your son's awake," Dawnfall purred to Sunstar as she got up and stretched.

"Before sunrise, he'll be your son," Sunstar joked back as he gently took the phone from his son. He made sure his voice was serious again as he meowed, "Sunstar of AirClan here."

The someone on the other line sounded worried as it meowed, "You better come over here. It looks like the Avatar Cat got kidnapped."

This caused Sunstar's breath to stop a bit. "What?! I'll come over right away. Dawnfall?" he asked, putting the phone away. "Can you keep an eye on the kits while I'm gone?"

Dawnfall nodded, and Sunstar could tell she was as worried for Owlflame as he was.

**...**

When he got to the city hall, he saw that the inside was a wreck. A photographer was taking a few pictures inside, taking shots of the wrecked staircase and charred pillars. A few MetalBender cats were on the scene (German shepherd sniffing the ground around them), and Lynxclaw was sitting next to Hawkfrost, who was having his bloody shoulder healed. It appeared he had been in a fight recently.

Sunstar padded through the doors, looking around in shock as he looked over at an Equalist paw glove. He looked up at the broken veranda before looking down to a bola wrapped tightly around a pillar. Looking away, he looked towards Hawkfrost as another WaterClan cat was adding a few cobwebs and burdock root to his shoulder. Lynxclaw was taking a few notes, looking to the side as a German shepherd sniffed nearby.

"What happened?" Sunstar asked, catching their attention. "What was Owlflame doing at City Hall in the middle of the night?"

The black-furred medicine cat stood up and padded away as Hawkfrost meowed, "As I told was telling Lynxclaw, Owlflame came to my office late last night. She was upset that I arrested her friends and asked me to release them...but that's when the Equalists attacked. I tried to protect her, but we were outnumbered. Then I was electrocuted...and when I came to, the police had arrived, but Owlflame was gone. I'm so sorry."

Sunstar bowed his head. The Equalists had become very low in capturing his apprentice like this. The time for non-violence had long passed now.

"Lynxclaw, mobilize the entire police force," Hawkfrost meowed to the dark tabby tom. "We have to find the Avatar Cat."

Lynxclaw nodded and padded over to talk with one of his warriors.

**...**

"We interrupt your regularly scheduled broadcast to bring you this special report."

Shard opened her eyes and turned her head towards the radio. Ignoring the wincing pain in her chest, she heaved herself to her forepaws, leaving her hind legs in a dragging position. It had been days since she had been brought over to the vet from the Sato mansion. Despite a few cracked ribs, she would survive.

The radio went on, "Late last night, Equalists had attacked City Hall, overpowering WaterClan envoy Hawkfrost and capturing Avatar Cat Owlflame. Details are still coming in, but-"

_Click._

Shard turned off the radio abruptly and dragged out of bed, but she was still injured, for she grunted in pain as she limped. But that didn't matter; finding Owlflame and stopping Equalists mattered more. She didn't mind taking a lot more injuries than this as long as she did her duty. Being retired from the police force would not stop her.

The dusky brown she-cat limped over to a cupboard containing her metal armor and opened it. She looked at her leg and arm guards as well as her main body armor, brushing away the splints and bandages the vet had given her for her injuries. She moved her tail forward, and her armor was Bended onto her body as it slid down her neck and a belt was fastened around her hips. The front armor for her forelegs flew off of its handles and onto her legs, where they swiftly snapped in place.

Looking in the mirror, Shard saw that she was now fully fit, but she looked down at the badge. She could not bear to leave it behind, but she was no longer the chief of her police force. Without hesitation, she ripped the badge off her armor and put a cloak on over herself.

Finally, she managed to sneak out of the animal hospital unnoticed and over to the police station. Shard looked up at her mother's statue outside the police station, glinting in the sun. She guessed Nightfoot would approve of letting the others out of prison to help Owlflame's friends. When she was a kit, her mother said that if one of her friends was in prison, she would help them out no matter what. So she went inside.

The first cat she saw was Emerald Sato herself. The calico-&-white she-cat was lying on her back on the little nest in her jail cell. Shard opened the door, making her sit up, as she threw the door aside.

"Hope you got some rest, sleeping beauty," the former chief meowed. She flicked her tail to the side and meowed, "Now let's go. I'm busting you and your friends out."

"Thanks," Emerald purred as she got to her paws. "I owe you one."

When they found the brothers that had lived in the streets, it hadn't been hard to find them. They appeared to be arguing loud enough to scare the prey from here to BoulderClan, the former capital city of EarthClan.

"Are you done yet?" Redblaze growled.

But Stonetail whined, "Cover your ears! I can't go while you listen!"

Quickly, Shard Bended the door open with MetalBending, Emerald beside her. Redblaze had turned away with an irritated sigh while Stonetail was at the toilet, trying to relieve himself. When Redblaze turned to see them, his amber eyes were filled with relief.

"Emerald!" he yowled.

The tortoiseshell she-cat nodded and leapt over to him, licking him gently on the cheek. The ginger tom returned the same gesture, which made Stonetail look around with an embarrassed look on his face.

"Aaaagh!" he moaned. "Can't I have a little privacy in this cell?!"

Redblaze ignored him and meowed to Emerald, "Are you all right, sweetheart?"

"I'm fine, sweetie," Emerald purred, rubbing her cheek against his. "It's so good to see you."

Deciding that they could do this later, Shard meowed, "Hate to break up your lovers' reunion, but Owlflame's in grave danger. Anubis and his Equalists had captured her."

By the looks on their faces, Shard realized that they hadn't heard of the news. They probably didn't get to listen to the radio while they were here in their jail cells. Redblaze looked like he was the one who was worried the most.

"No..." he groaned, looking down to the floor. "No, she can't be gone." He slashed at the ground, snarling, "Shit! I should've been there for her!"

"Well, she IS missing, I'm afraid to say," Shard told him, turning away. "Now come on. We've got an Avatar Cat to save."

So Redblaze and Emerald ran out of the cell to begin their mission. But when Stonetail leapt down from the toilet, Shard saw that he forgot to flush, which was what Twolegs did after they made dirt. So she flicked her tail at the metal flusher, and the toiler emptied itself of whatever it was in there.

"You forgot to flush," she told Stonetail in an almost motherly way. She wondered if this was what it was like to maybe have kits.

The brown tabby tom chuckled nervously. "Hehe...thanks for catching that."

**...**

Owlflame did not stop in throwing her body onto the box, attempting to make the door budge. She grunted and groaned in pain, for she did not sleep at all last night thanks to her anger and fear. At first, she had yowled loudly, but she decided that actual physical force had to do; at least the bleeding had stopped. So here she was, trying to break out of her metal cell.

"Somebody!" Owlflame screeched, throwing her weight hard against the box. "Help! Please...!" She let out a moan of pain as her thudding softened and she collapsed, feeling tired. "Please..."

_Please, StarClan...help me..._

"I advise you to meditate a bit more on these visions," Sunstar's voice made her eyes open wide. "I believe Goldstar is trying to tell you something."

_Really? But what will that do?_

But she saw sense in what Sunstar had tried to tell her. Perhaps Goldstar had been trying to tell her something about the visions. Once she got a hold of what was going on, the visions would stop, and she could stop Hawkfrost. Even though she was not a spiritual cat, Owlflame knew she had to do this.

So the blue-gray she-cat sat up until she was sitting still with her tail wrapped around her paws. As she did so, she took in a deep breath and closed her eyes, ready for whatever StarClan had to throw at her. But once she did so, she felt herself spinning as if she was on a bull trying to shake her off. Owlflame opened her eyes again to gasp in the scenery around her.

All around her, things looked...so different. United City looked a bit smaller than usual, and there was no sign of any Twolegs anywhere; this must have taken place before the Twolegs returned. Owlflame padded around the street, recognizing no cat here, before she arrived at the park, which was still a place where wild animals roamed. And, as she approached a fountain with pigeons gathering around, she saw him.

_Goldstar!_

Sunstar's father was gazing down into the water of the fountain, his fur glowing a brilliant shade of gold in the sunlight. His dark gray eyes looked troubled, though. Owlflame leapt up beside him, half afraid that he would see her. Cursing at herself that it was still a vision of the past, she kept her mouth shut.

"Goldstar? What the hell are you doing here? I told you I have this under control."

Both cats turned to see who it was. At first, she thought she was looking at Shard...but this cat's pelt was black, not brown. Her pale green eyes (unlike Shard's leaf-green eyes) were narrowed with half worry and half irritation while warriors stood beside her. There was no denying it; it was Nightfoot, Shard's mother.

"Usually, I wouldn't have to get involved," Goldstar meowed, his voice cool yet worried. "But if what those victims said is true, then we're not dealing with a normal criminal. So I'll come with you in case things get out of paw."

At that, Owlflame saw the look on Nightfoot's face turn from irritation to an affectionate and reassuring smile. "Fine," she mewed, flicking her tail as she started to pad away. "Follow me, Twinkletoes."

_Twinkletoes?_ Owlflame laughed quietly to herself. While the warriors followed her, Goldstar's whiskers twitched as he meowed, "I'm a five year old cat, Nightfoot. You think you could stop with the nicknames anytime soon?"

"'Fraid not," Nightfoot purred, winking at him over her shoulder.

The handsome golden tom shook his head, but he leapt down from the fountain and padded after the black she-cat. Not wanting to miss this, Owlflame followed after him, looking around the city. Like she had thought before, United City sure looked different back then. No Twolegs were around yet, and there were still signs of more animals roaming around along with cats.

Finally, they had arrived at what appeared to be a fancy restaurant. Without waiting for an invitation, Nightfoot, Goldstar, and the MetalBending cats padded inside. Owlflame followed them, noticing a new cat at the far end of the restaurant. It was a black-&-gray tom, his yellow eyes narrowed as he nimbly nipped at the meat of a prepared chicken. Just then, beside her, Nightfoot stepped forth, his fur bristling.

"It's over," the black she-cat growled, flicking her tail at him. "You're under arrest, Nanulak."

_Nanulak?! _Owlflame thought, recalling what Sunstar had told her about this cat. He had almost killed Goldstar and other cats when Sunstar and his siblings were kits.

Instead of denying it or admitting it, Nanulak lowered his head, meowing in a deep voice, "What is United City coming to these days? Used to be when a cat could enjoy his meal in peace," he added, lifting his head up with a slight sneer.

At this, Nightfoot MetalBended a spool of wire out as it caught Nanulak's neck, making him hiss and step away from his food. Nightfoot yanked him up, turning the table over, while a tabby cat subdued him with a scratch and turned him around to cuff him.

"What's the big idea?!" Nanulak snarled. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"We have dozens of witnesses, Nanulak," Goldstar meowed. "We know what you are."

Nightfoot nodded before turning to her warriors. "Take him away."

Nanulak was led away, but he turned to Goldstar, snarling at the AirClan leader, "I've beaten every phony charge you yokel Clan cats brought against me, and I'll beat this one too for sure! I swear it!"

Goldstar just stared back at him, but Owlflame could see the worry in his dark gray eyes. She wondered what he was thinking about, but she guessed it was for the city's safety.

But just then, she felt the scenery swirl around her until the restaurant was gone and she was back in her prison. What was even more amazing was that she could now connect with her past life. Owlflame had actually gone into the memories of a StarClan cat and was able to see an event that was in the past.

"Whoa..." she whispered. "I finally connected with you, Goldstar. But what are you trying to tell me? A way out of this box would be nice," she added as a small joke.

But Owlflame had no more time to joke, for she had to keep on finding out what her visions meant. So she closed her eyes and continued to meditate.

**...**

Shard, Emerald, Redblaze, and Stonetail had all went over to Sunstar's office in the City Hall where he worked. But Shard was irritated that whatever reaction she had expected from her former mate...wasn't one she was hoping.

"I have to go. Call me back the minute you hear anything," he was talking into the phone. He put it down and stood up, gasping, "Shard, what're you...shouldn't you be in the hospital?! And you three!" he barked to the three younger cats. "Shouldn't you be in prison?!"

Stonetail waved sheepishly while Emerald looked smug, as if she proved that they could bust out of jail anytime. Only Redblaze looked worried, and Shard knew why. He must have missed the Avatar Cat a lot.

"I figured you might need some help in finding Owlflame," Shard replied to Sunstar's meowing.

Redblaze padded up to the desk and asked, "Do you have any leads?"

Sunstar sighed and leapt down from his desk. "I've been on the phone all morning, but no good news have come yet."

"We need Nisa," Redblaze meowed. "Owlflame said she's the best tracker around."

"I'm afraid Nisa is missing as well," Sunstar murmured, lowering his shaggy head.

Stonetail tilted his head to one side. "Then where do we start?"

"My guess is that the Equalists are hiding underground, in the maze of tunnels beneath the city," Shard spoke up. She had memorized the entire city and its tunnels by heart.

"Underground?" Emerald's voice was disbelieving and filled with some anger. "Just like my father's secret factory. Figures," she muttered, looking away.

"Yeah, that makes sense," Stonetail replied, rubbing his chin with his paw. "When those chi-blockers kidnapped me and put me in their truck, it sounded like we drove into a tunnel."

"Really?" Redblaze had a look of insight on his face and looked a little happy. "I know where to start looking. Come on!"

At that, the three younger cats turned tail and ran out of the office. Shard found some sense in what the youngsters were saying. Cats who would be kidnapped by Equalists would have to be carried off into some dark secret place. The tunnel Stonetail was talking about could be one of those dark secret places.

"Wherever Anubis is keeping Owlflame, I bet that's where my officers are kept at too," she muttered partly to herself.

Sunstar nodded. "Let's bring them all back, Shard. Without the Avatar Cat and your warriors, this city may collapse soon."

**...**

Sunstar had gone back to AirClan Island and fetched his Asian Lung dragon, Ryu, so that they could go search for Owlflame and the Equalists. In a few minutes, with everyone on board, Ryu had taken off and began flying over to where Stonetail had once been taken too. At a small yard, the dragon landed, and everyone got out of his saddle.

"The truck with Stonetail took off down this alley," Redblaze meowed, lifting his nose in the air to sniff as he padded down the alley.

So the five cats ran down the alley as they reached an intersection and stopped as they prowled around, trying to find a scent. There were some fresh scents here, but they were confusing; some had Equalist scents, and others had rat scents.

"Which way now?" Emerald asked.

Stonetail suddenly took a step forth and sniffed the air. "Hmmm...this kinda smells familiar."

Shard stopped and sniffed the area; the Equalist scent was growing stronger. She took a deep breath and stomped her right forepaw on the ground as she felt the shockwaves travelling up her body. The waves seemed to be coming from deep within a secret tunnel, so she opened her eyes and twitched her whiskers a bit.

"There's a tunnel nearby," she meowed, heading to the right.

The others shared looks before they followed the dusky brown she-cat towards a slope. They each took turns sliding down until they landed in the leftover snow in the ditch. However, only Sunstar landed gracefully with AirBending, the wind causing his mane to ruffle.

Suddenly, Redblaze yowled, "Look! Over there!"

The cats began to run towards the tunnel, but it was blocked off by metal grates. Just when they came to a halt, Shard crouched low and pawed at tracks on the floor, leading into the tunnel. She stood up and meowed, "There are motorcycle tracks. I don't know what our ancestors would have called them."

"Owlflame has to be in there," Redblaze murmured. "Somewhere."

As he finished his sentence, Shard lifted a forepaw up, and the metal grates slid up. There was the tunnel yawning ahead of them as if inviting them to enter. With a meow of command, she led the cat inside, eager to rescue her warriors and Owlflame in this time of trouble.

**...**

_**Commercial Break**_

**...**

The small pack had finally entered the tunnel and stumbled across four different tunnels heading in various directions. Redblaze had FireBended a small flame on his tail and held it up high to illuminate the area. There were several rats in the tunnels, but Shard did not want to stop to get one; they had to find Owlflame and her warriors...and rats could carry diseases.

"Let's try this way," Redblaze meowed, pointing down one tunnel.

"And what if Owlflame's not down there?" Emerald asked, stepping up beside her mate.

Redblaze replied, his voice a bit harsh, "Then we pick another tunnel until we find her. We won't stop until we get Owlflame back."

At this, he headed into the tunnel while the rest of the cats followed him. Shard looked behind her to see Emerald looking confused and hurt, feeling some sympathy towards her. She knew what it was like for a mate to reject them for another. But Sunstar was with Dawnfall now, and she would not try to interfere in their relationship. Noticing that Redblaze and Sunstar were padding on ahead, she went to catch up with them.

But she looked behind her to see Emerald drop back beside Stonetail and ask, "Hey, is Redblaze okay? He seems to be really worried about Owlflame."

Stonetail nodded and meowed, "Yeah, we all are."

"I know, but he's your brother," Emerald mewed, looking up to see Shard looking at her. So she dropped her voice to a whisper and asked Stonetail, "Do you think he likes Owlflame as more than just a friend?"

"What? No!" Stonetail chuckled as they stopped. "That's just gossip. Where did you hear that? You know what's coming outta your mouth right now? Crazy talk! Crazy talk's coming out of your mouth right now."

But the calico she-cat did not look fooled. Instead, she laid a gentle paw on his shoulder and asked, "What do you know, Stonetail? Come on. Spill it."

Stonetail looked down. "Nothing. I mean..." He gave a small sigh and continued, "Well...there was this one time during the tournament when I saw Redblaze and Owlflame nuzzling, but-"

"What?" Emerald yelped. "They nuzzled?"

She looked away and gazed sadly at Redblaze while Shard looked away. The former Chief of Police felt the same way when she found Sunstar and Dawnfall hanging around with each other often. But she and the AirClan leader had been falling out for moons, and they went away for their separate duties.

"Believe me, I was upset about it too," Stonetail meowed gently. "But hey, it was an accident. I'm over it now. I don't think it meant anything."

Emerald looked away, her voice breaking as she rasped, "I doubt that."

But suddenly, after a couple of steps, the former kittypet's ears twitched, and Shard heard it: the engine of a motorcycle. Just behind Stonetail, the headlights of the motorcycle were illuminating the back of the tunnel.

"Hide," Shard ordered.

So Redblaze extinguished his flame, and all five cats ran towards a pillar. Two Equalist cats who were possessing Twolegs drove their motorbikes into view and cycled away. An Equalist flipped a switch in the middle with his paw, and the pack hiding behind the pillar looked out at a wall as it flipped inwards, revealing a hidden passage while both of them drove in. The wall then flipped back into place as if it was just an ordinary wall.

Shard was shocked; out of all the places she had patrolled, she did not know that this one had a secret. But she knew that she had to get in there and help rescue her warriors and Owlflame. So she leapt out from behind the pillar, and the rest followed her as they ran up to the wall. With a splash due to the water in the tunnel, they stopped in front of it.

Taking a small breath, Shard closed her eyes and stood on her hind legs to touch the wall with her forepaws. She rubbed at it a bit, the cold metal tingling against her pads, and then she paused in the middle and rotated a paw to the right. Reaching the back of the wall as a red wheel control device turned and two metal columns slid out from the side, Shard pushed her paw up, and the wall flipped up. She nodded her head into the passage, and they ran in as the wall flipped shut.

They were now seeing the inside of the secret Equalist base. There were three motorcycles and two metal trucks not far away and a group of Equalists nearby, loading things into a gray tram. Shard and Sunstar took the lead as they took cover from behind a wall, their backs against the concrete. Meanwhile, the Equalists were loading their wares. Three of them were on the tram while one stood beside the tram, holding a clipboard.

"That tram goes all the way to our training camp," the brown Equalist tom meowed, flicking his tail to the right as the tram moved off. Then he turned to his right as another tram drove in as the next Equalist stepped off.

"Everything was delivered to the prison, sir," the gray she-cat meowed before they padded off.

When they were gone, Sunstar mowed, "That must be where Owlflame is held at."

"We need to get down that tunnel," Shard replied, nodding.

At this, she twitched an ear and ran off as everyone backed away from the wall one by one and followed her. They all managed to get into a tram, and it began to move shortly afterwards. Then when they were all settled in, Emerald started driving it while the rest of the group was out front. Unfortunately, two Equalists were standing guard just as an alarm sounded and blinked red at the end of the tunnel. The two Equalists looked towards the inside of the tunnel as the tram rolled out. But Shard knew what to do.

One by one, the cats leapt out in time before they were spotted while the tram rolled on. When it came to a stop, the front lights turned off, and the tram was empty. Confused, the Equalists padded over to the tram and peered inside.

"It's empty," the black-&-white cat meowed.

"No duh, Sherlock," the ginger tom retorted snarkily.

Choosing her targets, Shard shot her metal cables from her armor and out from the tunnel behind them. With a twist, when they reached them, she wrapped them around their chests as they were pulled into the tunnel, shrieking. She rushed forth and beat them down with swifts blows to the heads with her paw, knocking them out before tying them up and leaning them against a door.

Stonetail and Emerald sat near them, guarding them, while Shard stalked up the stairs, ready to find the prisoners. Redblaze was already waiting for her at the top of the stairs.

"You two," she meowed to Emerald and Stonetail. "Keep an eye on them. We're off to search for the prisoners."

Then she unsheathed the claws of her right forepaw and stomped hard into the ground. She could feel the shockwaves roll out from underneath her pad and throughout the room. Then...she could see a corridor with jail cells as the shockwaves moved through it.

"My officers are inside there," Shard meowed, lifting her head up.

"What about Owlflame?" Redblaze asked, sounding more worried than ever.

Shard could see how much he cared for the blue-gray she-cat. "I haven't forgotten about her. I just don't see her yet."

Then she continued padding up another flight of stairs while Redblaze and Sunstar followed after her. The three cats looked around each prison cell as they stalked down the corridor, before they made a turn around another. For now, things were quiet...too quiet.

Suddenly, two Equalists leapt out from a corner and got into attack positions as they swung their bolas in their jaws. Quickly, Sunstar whipped up a powerful blast of wind with his tail and threw it at them, knocking the Equalists backwards against the wall. Shard continued to pad down the hall when she saw Redblaze leap forth, grab the dark tabby Equalist by the throat, and pin him to the ground.

"Where are you keeping her?!" he snarled through a mouthful of fur, tearing at his face with his claws. "Where are you keeping Avatar Cat Owlflame?!"

Shard knew she had to leave the ginger tom up to his mission as she arrived at a jail cell. But when she looked inside...she saw something that made her green eyes widen in shock.

Her MetalBending cops were all lying despondently on their nests, some not having recovered from their wounds. Shard padded closer to the bars, not wanting them to suffer anymore, and Bended the bars aside loudly, making the cops turn towards her as she padded into the cell.

"Chief Bei Fong?" a brown-&-white tom meowed, dried blood masking his face. "Is that you?"

"I'm too late. That monster already took you Bending, didn't he?" When the warrior nodded, she sighed sadly, "I'm so sorry, my warriors. I would've given myself up to save all of you. Now let's get you out of here."

So she led the way out of the prison cell, her warriors following her, where she came across Redblaze. The ginger tom was still pinning the Equalist down, his claws sinking a bit deeper into his neck. Shard knew that the Warrior Code said that a warrior did not need to kill to get victory or peace, but would Redblaze remember it?

"I'll ask you one more time," Redblaze was snarling while he rose a paw, fire surrounding the claws. "Where is she? Answer me, you bastard!"

"We don't have her, and the Equalists didn't attack City Hall," the cat choked, a speck of blood appearing on his neck. "H-Hawkfrost is lying!"

Shard felt stunned. _Hawkfrost?! I never liked him that much, but surely..._

Redblaze let out a gasp and released the cat. At this, Shard stepped forth and meowed, "I scanned the entire prison, and I found the warriors. But Owlflame's not here."

Redblaze meowed, "But why would Hawkfrost make up a story about getting attacked?"

"Because HE has Owlflame!" Sunstar spat, fury on his middle-aged broad face. "He tricked us all! He shall not get away with this!"

But the alarm sounded out through the prison, and the cats leapt away, looking up at the blinking red alarm. When they made it back, Stonetail and Emerald were standing in front of an empty tram, apparently having called it over.

"Come on, folks! Let's get moving!" Stonetail called.

So everyone got on. The tram moved off at great speed, but another tram was coming in from the tunnel behind them. Redblaze turned around and noticed the tram catching up to them, full of Equalists. Stonetail laid a paw on his older littermate's shoulder and stepped in front of him, lifting his paws, clenching his claws, and bringing them down. The escaping tram moved off as the tunnel walls collapsed, and they could hear the Equalist tram colliding into the rubble.

"Ha! Try chi-blocking _that_, fools!" Stonetail cheered, making a MetalBender smile at him.

Shard looked around her with a determined feeling across her face while the rest of the cops hung on for dear life. At the end of the tunnel was the Deputy (Anubis' black-furred assistant), a massive crowd of chi blockers and a couple of mecha tanks waiting in position for them. The Deputy's kali stick sparked with electricity in his jaws, and Shard knew what kind of pain that stick could cause.

So she turned back to the others and called, "We got more company."

Shard looked at the ceiling and made elaborate movements with her tail towards the ceiling, making it snap down.

"Hang on!" she called.

The tram moved up the makeshift rail, and Shard EarthBended a hole right in the center of the ceiling. Once it got there, the tram sailed through the air and landed roughly on the ground; everyone groaned from the impact, but they were unscathed nonetheless. Shard leapt out of the tram and EarthBended a hole in the ceiling, looking towards the City Hall after that.

If Hawkfrost really did kidnap Owlflame, then he would need to pay for kidnapping the Avatar Cat herself. She wondered why the WaterClan tom would want to do this; perhaps this had something to do with political power? But she shrugged it off, knowing that this would have to be between him and Owlflame.

**...**

Owlflame could feel her belly growl from starvation; she had not eaten anything all day. But she was still meditating in the box, wanting to find out more about Nanulak. When she went to the past again, she saw that she was in a courtroom with many cats meowing and whispering with each other. Owlflame sat down beside the main desk, looking for any cats she recognized.

There...was Nanulak, smirking evilly while Goldstar sat behind him with a frown. Up at the council's table, she spotted a row of cats to whom a silver tabby she-cat was talking to. One cat she seemed to recognize was a familiar dark gray tabby tom with pale blue eyes. This was very much Ashfeather. To his right was a tabby she-cat from FireClan and a ginger tom from AirClan.

The silver tabby prosecutor began to meow, "Nanulak has ruled United City's criminal territory for moons, yet he always managed to stay out of the law's reach...until now. Today you will hear proof from dozens of his victims, and they will tell you that he has maintained control of his grip on the underworld by using a skill that has been illegal for years," she added, her green eyes narrowing. "BloodBending."

Owlflame heard gasps around her while she saw Ashfeather's eyes narrow with suspicion. But then, from Nanulak's side, a black-&-brown tom stood up, his eyes glaring around the room. With a throat-clearing, he began to speak and pad over towards the council.

"The prosecution's entire case is built upon the make-believe notion that my client here is able to BloodBend at will, at any time on any day," he explained as he paced around. "May I remind the council that BloodBending is an amazingly rare skill and can only be performed during a full moon?" Nanulak smirked as his client went on, "Yet the bystanders claim that my client used BloodBending at any other time _except_ during a full moon. Therefore, it would be a mockery of justice and the Warrior Code to convict a cat for a crime that is impossible to commit."

At that, he slammed a scroll down onto the table, making the jury members gaze on. Goldstar's gray eyes clouded over as he looked to the ground; Owlflame swore she could hear him send a prayer to StarClan. Once they all went for a break, she viewed over the facts of what she had heard and seen before her.

Like Hawkfrost, Nanulak had used BloodBending without the use of a full moon. Did this mean that they were related in some way? And what would happen if they let this evil cat go as he would continue his reign of terror? But she had to lift her head up as the council returned right when the trial began.

"Councilman Ashfeather, leader of the Southern WaterClan, will now deliver the verdict."

At the sound of the voice, Ashfeather stood up, looking around. Owlflame was amazed at how powerful and wise Silverheart's brother had been despite having a slight goofy look on his face. But then he began to speak, and she had to sit and watch.

"In my moons of warrior training, I have encountered cats born with rare and unique Bending abilities," the dark gray tabby tom meowed. He smiled slightly when he went on, "When I was a younger cat, I once defeated a tiger (with my trusty old boomerang, folks!) who could FireBend _with his mind_. Why, even MetalBending was thought to be impossible for all of history until our revered Chief of Police, Nightfoot Bei Fong herself, developed the skill all on her own."

Owlflame looked to the right to see Nightfoot standing regally with her warriors beside her. The black she-cat nodded slightly, although there was a small nostalgic smile on her lips.

Ashfeather went on seriously, "The great sum of testimony and evidence has convinced this council that Nanulak is one of these exclusive Benders, and he had abused his skill to carry out these atrocious crimes. We therefore find him guilty of all charges and sentence him to life in prison. No parole," he finished, hitting a block with a gavel.

Nanulak's attorney crumpled up the scroll, threw it away, and banged his hand against the table angrily. Yet Nanulak didn't reply right away; instead, he sat up as the attorney looked towards him. Suddenly, his yellow eyes began to dilate irregularly...and then...it happened.

Suddenly, Ashfeather groaned in pain as one of his forelegs was bent slightly backwards, going into a spasm and grinding his teeth; right away, Owlflame saw that Nanulak was BloodBending. And then the entire council too began to spasm in the seats, but only Nightfoot was unaffected as she threw a metal cable at the evil tom. But Nanulak cocked his head to the side, and the black she-cat dropped to the ground, groaning and twitching in pain. Owlflame's blood was chilled to the bone when he let out maniacal laughter at their pain.

Then she saw Goldstar struggle to stay on his paws as he began to inch his way slowly to the crime boss. The rest of the audience was groaning and twitching in pain as well, groaning so loudly that it could scare bats from their resting places. Nanulak had managed to BloodBend everyone without using his paws or tail.

Owlflame woke up with a painful sensation in her chest, breathing rapidly. Nanulak was a monster...like Hawkfrost, he had been able to BloodBend without the use of the full moon. And this meant something along with the BloodBending Ashfeather had mentioned.

_Nanulak...he's Hawkfrost's father!_

**...**

"Thank you all for meeting us on such short notice."

Sunstar had called for a meeting at the City Hall at sundown. Shard, Redblaze, Stonetail, and even Emerald made sure they were there to be a part of the meeting. So far, Hawkfrost did not show up, but Lynxclaw was there. Shard's successor was sitting not too far away from Sunstar, his eyes bright with worry.

"Hello, Chief," Shard greeted him with a dip of the head.

The dark brown tabby nodded in return. "And you too, Shard."

"Have you had any news of where Avatar Cat Owlflame?"

Everyone turned around at the familiar voice. Hawkfrost was behind Sunstar, a casual look on his face as if he didn't know there was a war meeting...or he pretended to.

"We do," Sunstar growled, taking a step forth. "_You_ kidnapped her, Hawkfrost."

At this, Hawkfrost's eyes narrowed in surprise as he took a step back and hissed, "I am shocked that you would accuse me of such an evil act. I already explained it to you. Equalists attacked and took her away."

Sunstar retorted, "But there were no chi-blockers here last night. You planted the evidence against them, didn't you?"

"That is a ridiculous accusation!" Hawkfrost growled as he took a step back.

"It's true! He took her."

At the new voice, everyone looked up. Hawkfrost's brown-pelted page was looking down from the second floor, his head poking out from behind a pillar. He went on, "I was here when Avatar Cat Owlflame arrived last night, but Hawkfrost insisted I should leave for the night. I was on my way out when I saw him bring her down to the garage." He swallowed a bit before he went on.

"I was just on my way back home when I heard yowling, so I hid behind a pillar," the brown tom meowed. "When I peered around, I saw Hawkfrost standing at the back of a monster and hiss 'Say goodbye to United City, Owlflame! You'll never see it again.' I heard her screech in rage while he locked the door and drove the monster away. I never knew he would ever do such a thing to the Avatar Cat."

"That is nothing but cloud-brained nonsense!" Hawkfrost spat up at his page. "Everyone knows you're nothing but a squeaky-voiced liar!"

This made the page shrink back.

"Shut...the hell...up, Hawkfrost," Shard hissed, giving the gray-&-white tom a death glare. To the page, she asked, "Why did you wait until now to fess up?"

The page looked to the side before mewing, "I was too scared to tell anyone because...because Hawkfrost is a BloodBender! He BloodBended Avatar Cat Owlflame!"

Everyone gasped at this, even Shard herself. There had never been another known BloodBender apart from Nanulak, who had attacked the city when she and Sunstar were kits.

"Don't make this worse for yourself," Sunstar snarled at Hawkfrost as his claws unsheathed. "Now tell us where you have hidden Owlflame."

Shard unsheathed her claws and stalked forth, preparing to give Hawkfrost some richly deserved justice. Redblaze stalked up beside him, his amber eyes alive with rage, while the others joined him. Then as they leapt forth, Sunstar summoned a puff of air with AirBending while Shard used MetalBending to slide a metal cable out from her armor. But what Hawkfrost did next...took them all by surprise.

Great pain shot through Shard's legs as she dropped the cable and looked up at Hawkfrost. It was like being a rabid fox, unable to do anything good while twitching her legs. Beside her, all the other cats were quickly shot down by Hawkfrost's BloodBending as they twitched in pain. They were all slammed to the ground with a sickening thud, Shard tasting the metallic taste of blood in her mouth as she lost a tooth.

Finally, Hawkfrost lowered his forelegs while the cats slowly dropped down one by one. The last thing Shard saw of the Northern WaterClan tom was him backing away from them and fleeing out of the City Hall.

**...**

**Commercial Break**

**...**

Shard groaned as she opened her eyes and rose to her paws. Around her, everyone had fallen to the ground unconscious, even Lynxclaw and the police force. Fighting the Equalists would have to wait; right now, Hawkfrost was their enemy...living up to his namesake, Hawkfrost the First from RiverClan.

"Wake up," she told Sunstar, slapping a paw across his face to wake him up. The golden tom sat up with a deep breath while Redblaze gently picked Emerald up by the scruff.

"Ugh..." Stonetail groaned as he sat up. "I had this terrible dream that Owlflame was taken away by this evil BloodBender. It was weird."

Emerald sighed. "It really DID happen, Stonetail. He knocked us out with BloodBending."

Quickly, the tabby tom leapt up to his paws. "What?! Are you serious?! So where is he? Is he here right now?"

"He's long gone," Lynxclaw replied, his face full of shame as he and his warriors recovered. "I'll alert the whole force."

So he and the other cats of the council turned away and walk out of the City Hall. Stonetail was standing on three legs, trying to twirl a foreleg around to get rid of aches in his shoulder.

Shard looked around at the mess that had been created. "We've only been knocked out for a little while. Maybe we can still pick up Hawkfrost's scent."

"It could lead us to Owlflame," Sunstar agreed, nodding. "Let's go, everyone."

**...**

Owlflame was still meditating really hard, feeling her mouth open and saliva drip from her fangs and to the floor. She was diving deeper into the memory, but things were getting uglier.

Goldstar was still struggling to get Nanulak while the latter leered maniacally as he had his pads upward and his claws flexed. Ashfeather was still trembling from this grip and looked over at Nightfoot; the black she-cat was down on the ground too. With a flick of his tail, Nanulak made her paws move backwards involuntarily to grab the keys from the cop beside her while she gasped in pain. Then he levitated her over to him, the key in her jaws as she unlocked the cuffs.

Once he was free, he lifted his forelegs upwards, clenched a paw, and Nightfoot and a cop fell unconscious, as did everyone else. Goldstar, however, was still up on his paws, but he groaned in pain as he tried to get to Nanulak. The evil cat turned towards the former Avatar Cat and lifted a paw up, levitating him upwards.

"Nanulak..." Goldstar groaned, struggling to speak as one foreleg moved to his back. "...you won't get away with this..."

"United City shall be mine once again, Avatar Cat," Nanulak sneered, laughing evilly. "I'll be back on day to claim it."

At that, he grabbed the golden tom's scruff in his jaws and threw him as hard as he could against the steps, knocking him out. Then he ran off out of the room, and the sound of a horse neighing told Owlflame that Nanulak had gotten away. She looked back down at Goldstar, realizing that he had lost a life; she wondered how many lives he had back then...and if he would wake up again.

Suddenly, when Owlflame though all was lost, the wind blew behind Goldstar as the former Avatar Cat woke up. And then...his eyes and arrow stripes began to glow, the glow of the mighty Avatar Cat stood up to his paws wearily, but his face was furious and resolute as he formed small balls of air around his paws and leapt away. Owlflame felt excitement rush inside her as she followed him out of the courtroom. She had always wondered what being in the Avatar Cat State was like.

They saw Nanulak's carriage as it made its way down an empty street, Goldstar hot on his tail. The golden tom preceded to move his Air Paws across the buildings, leaping from ledge to ledge. Nanulak hissed in anger when he saw Goldstar leap down towards him, spin around in circles, and (with one swipe) slashed at his face and severed the reins of the horse. The carriage lost its balance and fell on its side, skidding a distance, but the palomino horse sped out of sight.

"Wow..." Owlflame mewed as Goldstar circled the unmoving carriage. She had just seen the Zetsu Tenrou Battouga, the attack of the lion and the Avatar Cat's signature move. If only she had learned the spiritual side of her Avatar Cat duties, then she could use this move too.

Just as Goldstar opened the door of the carriage, Nanulak's paw shot out and swiped across his face. But before Goldstar could react, he suddenly gasped and fell to the ground on his chest. Nanulak leapt out of the carriage and stalked towards the fallen leader, his head fur a mess as he glared down at his victim.

"This time, I'll put you to sleep for good," he snarled, flicking his forepaws around as he sat on his haunches. "The Cutter won't need to worry about euthanizing you. And you know what? I think your broken body will be a good present for your bitch and spawn."

Goldstar gasped out loud, and Owlflame winced when she heard a sickening crunch; his forelegs were being twisted into unnatural positions. Then Nanulak lifted his body up, and Goldstar let out a gasp of pain as the evil tom stopped to slash at his face made his body slowly spin around like a leaf and his legs in very awkward angles. As one of his forelegs bent away while he was like a caught rabbit, Goldstar let out a shriek of pain.

_StarClan, please! _Owlflame pleaded silently, though her ancestors probably couldn't hear her in the past. _Please help him!_

As if her prayer was answered, Goldstar's eyes and arrows began to glow as he let out a yowl, breaking himself free of the BloodBending; air was swirling ferociously around him. Nanulak looked very surprised and stepped back to avoid being blown away by the with a terrible snarl, he yowled and lunged at him.

But Goldstar was ready. With the speed of an AirClan cat, he brought Nanulak to the ground, his teeth buried in the back of his neck while his claws sunk into his forehead. Owlflame felt like she was watching Anubis using EnergyBending to take away Bending, but with Goldstar...right now, this was a relief.

"I'm taking your Bending away for good," Goldstar meowed through a mouthful of neck fur, his blood leaking onto the black-&-gray pelt. "It's for all the Clans."

Nanulak hissed in fright as Goldstar's arrows and eyes flashed once. Then the latter's arrows and eyes stopped glowing as he stepped away from the black-&-gray tom, leaving the crime boss's unconscious bloody body on the ground.

"It's over," Goldstar panted, looking down at Nanulak. "This battle is finally over."

_So you__ were trying to warn me about Hawkfrost, huh, Goldstar? _Owlflame prayed as she opened her eyes. _Thanks. I understand now. Everything._

Just then, she heard pawsteps pad down the steps, and Owlflame guessed she knew who it was. The speaker was clear when the cat snarled, "Thanks to you, my plans are in ruins!"

"So your little BloodBending secret's out, eh, Hawkfrost?" Owlflame hissed smugly. She heard an angry sigh as she went on, "And I know how you were able to BloodBend me without a full moon: You're Nanulak's son."

She had learned this when she heard Nanulak's attorney say that his client had been accused of BloodBending without the full moon. That, and Hawkfrost even seemed to share Nanulak's double coat colors (despite having different colors). Owlflame held her breath when she heard Hawkfrost speak once again.

"Yes, I was his son, but to win United City, I had to become someone else," he spat. "My father failed because he tried to rule the city from its rotten underbelly. My plan, however, was perfect. I was to be the city's savior. But you...you ruined EVERYTHING!"

Owlflame meowed, "Your time is up. You've got nowhere to go."

But she heard the sound of fading pawsteps as Hawkfrost sneered,** "**Oh no. No, I WILL escape and start a new life...and you'll be coming with me as my prisoner. And if you don't do as I say afterwards, I might let my claws slip across your throat."

"No way!" Owlflame snarled as she hard this, throwing her weight once again against the box. "You'll never get away with this, you fox-hearted bastard!"

But right when Hawkfrost's pawsteps faded away, she heard him say the name of a cat she had not seen for a while: "Anubis!"

Owlflame gasped and looked up. What was the Equalist leader doing here in this shack? Were they here to catch her and take her Bending away? Or were they looking for a new victim to (as they called it) equalize? Extra pawsteps had told her that the Deputy was there, supposedly whipping out his kali stick with the rest of the Equalists.

"It is time for you to be equalized," the cool meow of Anubis rang around the walls.

"You fools," Hawkfrost sneered. He must have used BloodBending, for the cats groaned in pain, and Hawkfrost sneered, "You've never faced Bending like mine. Not in a million years!"

But suddenly, Owlflame heard a hiss of shock escape from him when she heard another pair of pawsteps stalk towards him. Then she recognized the steps and froze in fear: Anubis was actually resisting the BloodBending power. Another yowl announced Hawkfrost's other attack, and a thud showed Anubis' stumbling. But then...Owlflame heard him breath normally as he rose to his paws and continued to stalk towards his victim.

Hawkfrost's voice was filled with fear as he rasped, "What?! W-What the hell are you?!"

"I am the solution," came the reply.

In the box, Owlflame closed her eyes, hoping that this would not be loud and painful to hear. But when she opened her eyes, she heard Hawkfrost yowl in agony and fall to the ground, making her look up. She knew what had happened to the WaterClan tom: his Bending had been removed. He was no longer a threat to United City.

"I'll take care of him. You four retrieve the Avatar Cat," Anubis meowed as his Equalists got up. "Don't underestimate her. Make sure you electrocute the box so you can knock her out before you open it."

Owlflame felt her heart stop. They WERE going to capture her...and they would electrocute her to do so.

"With pleasure," the Deputy's deep voice replied.

Hearing the eager bloodlust in his voice, Owlflame looked around, trying to find a way to get out. But by doing so, she could hear the pawsteps coming down the stairs, so she was running out of time. Then she noticed that some of her fur was shedding its greenleaf coat, making way for thicker fur for leaf-bare. If she was to get out alive, there was one thing to do.

She concentrated on trying to lose herself of this extra fur, and she looked down to see strands of fur falling out and onto her paws. As she focused on losing some on her tail, she could hear the Deputy sneer, "I'm going to enjoy this payback."

Having already made a small band made of fur, Owlflame threw it to the ceiling just when she saw electricity burst through. She leapt up, grabbed the band with her front claws, and let out a screech as if she was in pain, hanging all her weight on the band Thankfully, her back paws were bent and not touching the floor of the box. Once she saw the electricity fade away, she dropped to the ground with a thud, making it sound like she had fallen unconscious.

"Open the box and tie her up," the Deputy growled.

Owlflame laid down in time just as the doors opened. Once the Deputy stopped meowing, she let flames surround her back legs and kicked out, knocking an Equalist backwards. She swiped the flames aside and looked over her shoulder towards the Equalists. An Equalist was getting back on his paws and threw a bola towards her, but she dropped and rolled, dodging the bola as it hit the box behind her. She slammed a forepaw into the floor, and the floor began to quake and roll, so this made the Equalists get thrown off balance. Once this was done, she fled up the stairs and out into the snowy night.

When she limped outside, she saw Anubis loading an unconscious Hawkfrost into the back of a truck. Quickly, with fright in her heart, she let out a sob of breath and raced away, Anubis hard on her tail. Owlflame swiped some snow up and Bended it to make the snow into spikes and hurl themselves as the white tom. However, Anubis leapt to the side, the impact of the spikes stirring up the snow, as Owlflame made a run for it. Anubis jumped up from behind the snow cloud and raced off after her.

Owlflame leapt down a slope and slid down, leaving a snow cloud behind her. She was finally safe from the Equalists now...for now.

"Did I not tell you to not underestimate her?" she heard Anubis sigh to the Deputy.

Once she was away, Owlflame began dodging a couple of rocks in the snow, remembering her mentor telling her about surfing with ice. However, she tripped over a tree root and yelped as she was thrown onto her back and continued sliding down the slope. She finally came to a stop and hit a tree trunk as snow fell from its branches and onto her face. Owlflame just laid there on the spot, wounded and tired, hungry and weak. Blackness swept over her vision, and she fell away to an uneasy unconscious state of mind.

She thought she could hear snarls, barks, and yips before she felt a blood-scented tongue lap at her head. Owlflame looked up in time to see Nisa standing above her, licking gently at her blue-gray fur. Not far away were the bloody limp bodies of three foxes; Nisa must have killed the fox leader and its friends to keep her safe.

"N-Nisa?" she rasped, laying a paw on her wolf's head as her mount licked her. "You came looking for me...good girl."

Nisa nuzzled her and lowered her head to let her climb back onto her. Much like a rescue dog, the black she-wolf slowly trekked her way across the snow and back to United City. Owlflame laid down on the saddle, too tired and weak to move. After nearly a day without food, water, and proper rest, she was looking forward to a very long catnap. But most importantly, Hawkfrost had finally been defeated, thanks to Goldstar showing her the meaning of her visions.

_Thanks, Goldstar._

**...**

As Ryu circled about downtown, Redblaze heard a long howl echo around the empty city streets. The howl sounded familiar, just like when she had first met a certain dire wolf Owlflame had kept as a pet.

"That sounds like Nisa," he told the pack. "Let's see if we can find her."

So Sunstar steered Ryu towards the howl, and the Asian Lung dragon flew to the outskirts of downtown. There was walking down the streets, with Owlflame on her back, as Ryu flew out from behind a building.

Redblaze felt relief in his mind as he called, "Down there!"

Down below, Nisa had looked up and barked while Ryu flew down to the ground. Redblaze was overjoyed to see Owlflame again...but she looked totally injured. Dried blood covered her left cheek, her claws looked chipped, and a rib or two had appeared from the inside. But still...she looked so peaceful with her eyes closed.

"Owlflame!" Sunstar yowled as he and Shard ran over towards her. "Thank StarClan!"

"Where's Hawkfrost?" Shard asked her in a low voice. "How did you get away?"

"Let her breathe," Redblaze meowed, shoving them aside quickly. "She needs space."

He looked down at the blue-gray she-cat sadly, her blood dried on her cheek and some shed fur missing from her tail. Emerald was looking at Redblaze with a little hurt and confusion in her green eyes, but he didn't look at her right now.

Instead, he buried his nose in her soft fur as he mewed, "I was so worried about you, Owlflame. Are you okay?"

"I-I'm fine," Owlflame rasped as if she had greencough, but she looked up at him and sat up with a gentle smile. "I-I'm glad you're here...City Cat..."

At this, she closed her beautiful blue eyes and rested her head against Redblaze's shoulder. He gently got her onto his back before getting her onto Ryu and laying her gently on the saddle. Once on board, he bent down and started licking the dried blood away from her scarred cheek with his tongue.

"You're safe now," Redblaze murmured, brushing his muzzle against her scarred muzzle.

He looked into Owlflame's face and stood back up so she could finally take a was a tiring mission, but after all this trouble, Owlflame was safe. That was all that mattered. He felt guilty about being worried for her when he was Emerald's mate, but after being away from the Avatar Cat, he realized something deep inside him he had denied for a moon or two.

_I can't deny it anymore, Owlflame. I love you._

_**To be continued...**_

**...**

**AvatarCat12: You glad this is over, Asami?**

**Asami: (Looking sad) Yes...but I was still upset that Mako was sorta cheating on me. But I'm really happy he's with Korra now.**

**AvatarCat12: That's good; at least you're still friends. I feel a bit tired from all the running today. Would you like to say the review thing and the preview for The Turning Of Tides?**

**Asami: (Smiles) Sure. (To the readers) Everyone knows what to do, right? Just write down a review after you read this chapter. Those who do will get a virtual figurine of Goldstar vs. Nanulak or a figurine of Hawkfrost. We do not allow flames on this FanFic or others, but we welcome constructive criticism and advice, but just as long as it's not harsh.**

**Preview: As Owlflame recovers, Anubis and his Equalists begin to wreak havoc in United City. But while this is bad news, there is some good news: the deputy of FireClan and the United Forces are arriving to help fight the Equalists. With time running out and even Dawnfall having her third litter, will Owlflame and her friends fight off their foes?**

**Both: See ya next time! And Happy early Thanksgiving!**


	11. The Turning Of Tides

**AvatarCat12: We're really getting near the season finale, so there's bound to be action here, folks! And Korra's back from several chapters of not showing up. So let's give a round of applause for the return of Korra!**

**Korra: (Comes in and shakes his hand) Hey, Avatar Cat. It feels so awesome to be back! I can't wait to see how it all ends...though I should already know by now. So how's it feel to be back in Alabama?**

**AvatarCat12: It's great so far. Just a few more days till the new year! You wanna say this here disclaimer, Korra?**

**Korra: Sure! But...didn't you say that you'll only do disclaimers at the beginning of each FanFic?**

**AvatarCat12: ...yeah. Let's go on.**

**Summary: ****As Owlflame recovers, Anubis and his Equalists begin to wreak havoc in United City. But while this is bad news, there is some good news: the deputy of FireClan and the United Forces are arriving to help fight the Equalists. With time running out and even Dawnfall having her third litter, will Owlflame and her friends fight off their foes?**

**Uploading Date: December 30, 2012**

**Both: Enjoy!**

**...**

_**The Turning of Tides**_

Watching Owlflame sleeping in bed while she recuperated from her recent ordeal made Redblaze feel even more concerned for her. He sat by her bedside, sitting vigil as he leaned his head down and gently licked her recently scarred cheek. Unseen by Redblaze, Emerald was in the doorway, watching before she turned glumly away. The former knew he had to tend to his mate, but for now...he had to help Owlflame no matter what.

Meanwhile, Sunstar padded into another bedroom, where Dawnfall and their kits were sleeping together. The large golden tom leapt up beside them and gently nosed his mate's pregnant belly; the kits inside her seemed to be lively as they wriggled about. Just then, she gave a small yawn and woke up, followed by Ivykit, Plumkit, and Foxkit, all the kits looking up at him.

"You're home, Dad," Ivykit mewed as she hugged her father's great mane. "We waited up for you. Is Owlflame going to be okay?"

"Yes, she's fine, nutkin," Sunstar told her as Plumkit crawled onto his back.

"I was scared," the little gray tabby mewled. "I thought she died."

Sunstar let her leap into his forelegs and gave her head a quick lick. "I'm sorry you were scared, kits, but everything will be fine now. I promise."

Dawnfall got up awkwardly and padded over to her mate, rubbing her cheek against his. Then Foxkit bounded up and bit his father's ear gently, and Sunstar gave a small chuckle. But despite the family being safe...he wondered how long they would be stay unharmed.

And United City.

_StarClan, show us the way._

**...**

In the dining area, Owlflame hungrily sunk her fangs into a wild pigeon and tore at the tender meat inside. She had quickly given thanks to StarClan for this prey before digging in, though it was Dawnfall who had gotten it. She had seen the AirClan queen wait a bit lazily nearby before nabbing it quickly out of thin air.

Around her, her friends and Sunstar's family were sitting beside her, also eating their catch. Even Shard was there, her green eyes narrowed as she stripped the meat off a rabbit bone.

"This prey is really tasty, Dawnfall," Owlflame purred to said cat. "I'm finally starting to feel like myself again."

Dawnfall gave her a smile. "We're happy that you're back, safe and sound." At that, she got up from her spot and padded gradually into the kitchen to help clean up.

"Wait. Let me help," Emerald called after her, following the golden-&-white queen.

Owlflame watched them go, wanting to help out a bit after having worried them all to death. They had given her food and shelter in exchange of her learning AirBending, and she didn't want to be a burden to them. So she began to rise out of her seat, but Sunstar gently made her sit back down with a gentle forepaw.

"Owlflame, I know you've been through a lot, but I need to know everything that happened," her AirBending mentor meowed.

She thought back to when she was trapped in that box in the shack in the snowy hills. With a small shiver, she recalled Anubis arriving and taking away Hawkfrost's Bending. The latter's yowls haunted her ears so much that it felt like he was dead and haunting her from the Dark Forest. But what was more important was telling them who the gray-&-white tom really was.

"First, Hawkfrost isn't who he says he is," she explained. "He's the son of Nanulak."

As she expected, everyone looked surprised at this piece of news. Even Sunstar, despite all his intelligence, seemed to have not known that before Owlflame told them. When all the silence slowed down, Shard spoke up this time.

"It all makes sense now," the dusky brown she-cat meowed. "That's how Hawkfrost was able to BloodBend us without a full moon. Nanulak had done the same thing."

Sunstar nodded before turning back to his apprentice. "But how did you escape from the shack? And where's Hawkfrost?"

Owlflame replied, "Anubis caught him...and took his Bending away."

"What?" Sunstar's gray eyes widened with shock.

"Yeah," the blue-gray she-cat confirmed, nodding. "He showed up outta nowhere. He almost got me too. Thankfully, I got away in time."

Sunstar nodded grimly. "This is very disturbing news. Anubis is getting bolder by the minute each day. Taking out a warrior of the council and almost capturing the Avatar Cat...I fear he is now entering his endgame. His final plan to attack United City."

Owlflame nodded before feeling her tongue feel dry after the prey. "I feel a bit thirsty now," she mewed. "I feel like having a drink...maybe some cream."

"I'll get it," Redblaze replied right away and left the area.

**(Author's Note: Once again, we're switching POVs.)**

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Emerald and Dawnfall were working together on cleaning the area for further use. Helping Sunstar's mate in the kitchen was enough for Emerald to keep her mind off Redblaze not paying attention to her. Despite feeling a bit of jealousy towards Owlflame, the former kittypet did not hate her at all.

However, what Stonetail told her back in the tunnels had chilled her to the bone. If Redblaze was cheating on her with Owlflame, then he had not been honest with her at all. To her, a relationship had to be healthy and trustful after all. Redblaze had betrayed her, not Owlflame; it wasn't her fault he was being so secretive.

All of a sudden, Dawnfall let out a pained gasp and crouched low. This made Emerald turn to her and ask "Hey, are you all right, Dawnfall?"

"Yes...the kits are kicking, that's all," the heavily pregnant queen told her, a smile on her face despite the pain. "Don't worry. I'm fine."

"Should I get Sunstar?" Emerald asked. The AirClan leader would know what to do since this would be their third litter.

Dawnfall shook her head and stood up. "No. There's no reason to worry him. It's nothing bad. I've dealt with two other litters before."

Emerald wasn't so sure about that. She had heard her mother Lily (who worked with a vet in a vet's office before she was killed) say about pregnant queens saying they were fine despite their contractions. Thus, she decided that if she was around if Dawnfall went into labor, she would go fetch Sunstar right away.

Just then, Redblaze appeared in the doorway, a cat on a mission. Emerald narrowed her eyes at him, still upset that he had not been honest with her, and turned away.

"Is it okay if I get some cream?" Redblaze asked, sounding a bit too demanding. But then he let his voice soften as he meowed, "Sorry...but Owlflame wanted something to drink. Mind if I heat it up on the stove?"

"You're a FireBender, aren't you? So heat it up yourself," Emerald growled, seeing that she was not sounding like her friendly self. But it was true; she was now angry at her mate for not coming clean about the whole situation, but she wasn't angry at Owlflame.

"If you don't mind, I'm gonna step out if you two want to talk," Dawnfall put in tactfully.

At that, she padded quickly out of the kitchen, quite quickly for a heavily pregnant she-cat. There was a bit of an uneasy smile on her face before she left the two younger cats alone.

Redblaze looked confused as he asked, "Is there something we should talk about?"

Emerald fixed him with her green stare, which was how she got her name. "I've seen how you treat Owlflame and how you acted when she was missing. You have feelings for her, don't you?"

"What?" Redblaze asked, stepping back. "No way! She was taken away from us by a fox-hearted BloodBender! How did you expect me to act?"

"Look, I like Owlflame too, and she's a really great friend," Emerald retorted. "But you've been keeping the truth from me this whole time."

The ginger tom raised a brow in reply. "The truth? About what?"

Emerald sighed, giving him a very exasperated look. "You're really going to make me say it, aren't you?"

"Apparently, because I don't know what the hell you're meowing about," Redblaze replied.

"It was the nuzzling," Emerald growled, facing him. "I know about it."

The effects of how she had said this were a bit surprising. Redblaze's amber eyes were wide with shock and embarrassment that she caught him with his belly fur down. This relationship was supposed to be about trust, she had thought to herself, and how could she trust him if he didn't tell her the truth?

"Huh?!" Redblaze yowled, caught off guard. Then his voice became a hiss as he growled, "Um...did Stonetail tell you? I'm gonna have a word about that to him right-"

"Hey, it's not his fault you did that," Emerald spat, keeping him rooted on the spot. "So don't you DARE blame your brother for what _you_ did. Now I'll repeat the question, and you'll tell the truth: do you have feelings for Owlflame or not?"

Redblaze sighed, no longer looking angry. "Look, things are crazy right now. Can we deal with our relationship problems later?"

He tried to lick her cheek, but Emerald pulled away, hissing, "Well, there might not be any relationship to worry about later!"

And at that, she stalked away, ignoring his meow.

**(Korra: Once again, we're switching POVs. Dang, how many will there be next?)**

Sunstar and Shard padded outside until they were in the courtyard. It had been a while since the two of them had spoken to each other in private. The former did not want his mate to think he was cheating on her with Shard...for he wasn't planning on doing so.

"Shard? I...um...need to ask you a favor," Sunstar meowed, shuffling his forepaws. "It would mean the world to me, but I know it could be...a possibly difficult situation. Furthermore, I..."

"Just spit it out already, dammit," Shard retorted, rolling her green eyes.

Sunstar sighed, ignoring the foul language, before going on, "Will you stay and watch Dawnfall and the kits while I meet with the Council? With everything that's happened lately, I want to make sure my family is in safe paws. So will you do it, my old comrade?"

Noticing the look on his former mate's face, Shard smiled a bit and laid her tail on his flank. "Of course I'll help, old friend."

"I didn't realize you two were out here." Dawnfall had come outside, her voice muffled as she held Foxkit by the scruff. "I thought you were still inside."

Sunstar was shocked and guilty that his mate caught them talking. But he realized that she had known that they were still talking about Hawkfrost's disappearance. So he meowed, "Yes, yes, er...Shard has agreed to help out around here and keep an eye on things while I'm away."

"Thank you. I could use the extra lending paws." Dawnfall dropped a giggling Foxkit down onto Shard's reluctant paws. "Would you mind giving him a bath? He's filthy from rolling around with the crabs this morning."

The dusky brown she-cat looked really disturbed at having to do this. She sighed, "Sunstar, this is not what I signed up for!"

"Thank you, Shard!" Sunstar called from on Ryu's saddle. "Ryu, yip yip."

At that, Ryu lifted off the ground and was now soaring through the air towards the city. Right when her mate went away, Dawnfall quickly padded into the house, leaving Shard all alone with her charge. Said charge was now grunting a bit and wriggling around at her paws, looking like he was rolling around in the mud.

"I gotta go," the kit mewled, looking up at her as he picked his nose. "Really bad."

His contortions had just proved it. Disturbed, Shard MetalBended one of her ropes around him and dangled him at a safe length, rushing into the house. She had never had any kits in her life, but this kit was already proving to be difficult.

Unknowingly to them, something was happening to one of the cats of the council.

**...**

In a posh neighborhood in United City, the tabby council she-cat was looking for a key. They were living in a simple apartment, where their only animal company was a canary.

"Do you know where my key is?" the tabby asked her mate, a gray tom. "I can't seem to find it anywhere."

Her mate was reading the paper with their owner as he replied, "No, dear."

But then, she found it under the cage of the canary. "Found it."

"Good, dear," her mate replied without looking away.

"Don't wait up for me," the tabby she-cat meowed. "This council session will probably go late into the night."

A knock was heard from the door, so her mate meowed, "Get the door, dear."

So she opened the door, coming across a suspicious-looking pair of exterminators. At their lead was a suspicious-looking light brown tom with a kali stick in his jaws.

"We're here to fix the spider problem," the light brown tom meowed, his green eyes flashing and his voice deep. "A brown recluse spider problem."

The tabby she-cat raised a brow. "Eh? I didn't call an exterminator."

Quickly, before she knew it, the exterminator electrocuted her and the pair entered the house, ignoring her mate asking "Dear?"

Meanwhile, Sunstar, while flying on Ryu, landed on the roof of the City Hall and began walking across the roof. A trio of cats was attacking some pigeons, but Sunstar knew who they were right away; they were Equalists. Right when he turned away from them, his dark golden mane gave a shiver, and he knew there was trouble. They leapt at him in order to attack, but they were no match for his AirBending, and they were roundly defeated by the AirClan leader. Sunstar gave a silent thanks to his father for training him in the ways of AirBending.

Just as the last gusts of wind were dissipating, Sunstar heard a yowl of alarm and peered through the wind. It was Hawkfrost's council page; the brown tom was shivering and lowering himself to the ground to shield himself.

"Sunstar!" the page yowled. "I'm so relieved to see you!"

"What about the other members of the council?" the golden tom asked. "Are they alright?"

The page shook his head. "No. I just received a call from Lynxclaw. They've all been captured!"

Sunstar looked away, unable to believe what he was hearing. More cats were being wiped out each minute, leaving United City more vulnerable. He gave a small sigh and looked back, rasping, "This can't be happening."

"I know...but it can't be helped right now," the page spoke up. "The leadership of United City rests in your paws now."

This took Sunstar by surprise. How could he try to lead United City all on his own when the other council members were gone? The founders of the city would have done something to help them all by themselves. Silverheart would, but she was an elder now. Bearstar would have done something about it, but they hadn't heard from him in moons.

But before he could talk any further, an explosion occurred a bit away from them. The two cats rushed to the edge of the roof to see what it was. Bombs are exploding in the street, and a fleet of Equalist airships were now attacking the city. Sunstar gaped in horror in what he was seeing. The paradise his father and his friends had made was falling apart.

"It is a tragic day indeed!" the page wailed.

**...**

Back at AirClan Island, Shard had been gathering the kits together for a hunting lesson when she heard an explosion from across the bay. She leapt onto a rock to see the assault on the city, one thing she did not expect the Equalists would do. They had become so bold and daring that they would actually dare attack the city Goldstar and Bearstar made.

"Let's go, kits!" Shard told them, shooing them gently into the house. "Time to go inside!"

She looked over to the side to see Owlflame and her friends running over to them. The blue-gray she-cat asked, "We heard explosions. What's going on?"

Shard turned to face her. "United City is under attack. We need to fight back."

**...**

Romulus gazed down sadly at a portrait of his family from moons ago: his mate was still alive, and Emerald was just a kitten. But it was thanks to those devilish Benders that his beloved Lily was gone and Emerald had joined the enemy. Once they took over United City, however, he could show his daughter how better the city would be without Benders.

He tucked the picture away in a drawer, feeling a look of determination spread across his face. Then he got to his paws and padded up to stand beside Anubis, who owned this airship.

"I've dreamed of this day for so long," Romulus meowed, sitting down. "I could almost taste it."

"Yes," Anubis replied, the red eyes on his mask glowing as he faced him. "The time has come for the Equalists to claim United City as their own. Remember: the time of Benders has now come to a close. This equalized world shall be ours."

**...**

_**Commercial Break**_

**...**

As soon as they saw the attack, Owlflame and her friends boarded on a ferry that took them over to the city. It sure beat WaterBending all the way over here like she did when she went to see the Pro-Bending matches. Beside her, Emerald's eyes were wide at the destruction the Equalists had caused, Stonetail was shivering a bit, and Redblaze's amber eyes were narrowed.

Finally, the ferry landed in the harbor, and the new AvatarClan got off. Recalling something she had to check on, she raced down the street, her friends following her.

"Where did you say you parked the car?" Emerald panted.

"It's right around here somewhere," Owlflame replied, sniffing the air. Finding a familiar monster scent, she meowed, "Wait. There it is!"

They turned around the corner, and there it was...in a troubling state. Owlflame had used a lamppost in lieu of the brakes, making her chuckle nervously at that memory.

Emerald remarked sarcastically, "Wow. Nice parking job. REALLY nice."

Owlflame whirled around on her. "Hey, Hawkfrost arrested you guys, and then you left me alone with the car. That just shows you that I can't drive a damn monster."

"At the end of the day, you did a great job," Stonetail told her, pulling a bunch of papers from the windshield. "But how are we gonna pay for all these parking tickets?"

Just then, Redblaze snatched them away impatiently and destroyed them with a swipe of flaming claws. Stonetail gasped at the illegality, but his older littermate didn't seem to care.

"Relax, Stoner. The city's under attack now," he explained. "The police have more important things to worry about in their paws."

Stonetail's fur fell flat, but he still looked shocked.

Emerald leapt onto the side of the monster and began digging through the trunk. When the calico she-cat came back out, she was pulling her electric paw glove out of the trunk. "This'll come in handy," she mewed through a mouthful of it.

So all four cats went ahead and leapt in the car, ready for takeoff. Redblaze was just about to get in the front passenger seat next to Emerald, for they were mates. To Owlflame's shock, Emerald gave him a hiss, her fur bristling and her fangs bared.

"Why don't you sit in the back with Owlflame?" she spat spitefully.

Redblaze looked offended at first, but finally, he growled, "I think I will." And with that, he got into the back seat with Owlflame. Stonetail took his place up front soon after.

Owlflame was shocked at what she had just seen. She was sure Redblaze and Emerald cared for each other very much...just as much as she cared for Redblaze. But here they were now, angry at each other and clawing one another's fur...figuratively.

"Everything all right between you guys?" Owlflame asked Redblaze in concern.

"Yeah. It's all fan-freakin'-tastic," Redblaze growled sarcastically.

_Doesn't sound like that to me, _Owlflame thought, tilting her head to the side. On one paw, part of her was telling her to go ahead and take Redblaze as a mate. On the other paw, the other part of her told her to not interfere in this relationship. Even though she loved Redblaze, she did not want to interfere with their relationship and ruin it.

Emerald then drove the car out into the road, nearly hitting another car. Owlflame was a little bit dismayed at how she was driving; she looked a bit too angry to even notice that she almost hit another car. However, recalling how she and Nisa had caused a lot of mayhem on their first day in the city, she kept her mouth shut.

"CAR!" Stonetail yowled as Emerald almost hit another car. When they swerved away, he mewed, "Oh, never mind. We're good."

**...**

Police headquarters. Lynxclaw was busy at work at the command center, trying to get some of the police to sort out the crime in the streets. So far, the Equalists got even bolder than before and out causing more mayhem by the minute. They had to do something about this or many more cats were going to die.

"Chief!" a ginger-&-white tom had stepped forth to meow. "Air Unit Seven was just taken out by an Equalist airship. They've crashed into the harbor, and plenty of warriors were killed."

Lynxclaw nodded, feeling that things couldn't get much worse. "That is terrible news. Send a river rescue unit to the harbor right away."

"Chief, all river rescue ships have been sabotaged," a tabby sighed, shaking his head.

"What?!" Lynxclaw spat, alarmed. He thought the Equalists were low in attacking the city like this, but attacking a rescue unit who just did their job? That was an all-new low for them.

"Greetings, Lynxclaw."

Lynxclaw looked up from his warriors and looked over to the side. Sunstar had arrived, his golden pelt and mane ruffled, and he appeared to look concerned.

"Sunstar!" the dark tabby meowed, padding over to him. "I never thought I'd say this, but am I glad to see you. I was afraid you'd been captured too."

Sunstar shook his head. "No. I'm the only council member left. So what's the status?"

Lynxclaw knew he would have to tell the AirClan leader sometime soon. "Anubis has launched concurrent attacks across the area. The police are trying to regain control, but we're spread too thin. It's chaos everywhere."

"I need to send a wire," Sunstar told him.

The ginger-&-white warrior looked over to him. "To whom, sir?"

Sunstar replied, "The General of the Unified Forces."

Lynxclaw knew who Sunstar was talking about. Not only was the General of the United Forces, but he was also the deputy of FireClan. He was a bit younger than most of the cats in the army, but he was a powerful warrior and a wise cat beyond his years. The General would be a good cat to turn to in these dark times.

All of a sudden, gas began pouring from air vents in the walls, causing cats to fall. Lynxclaw fell to the ground, trying hard to hold his nose with his paw while Sunstar pulled some of his mane in front of him. When the gas cleared up, they were rising to their paws, trying to get the oily stink of the gas out of their fur.

"Sir, your wire has been sent," the ginger-&-white tom meowed to Sunstar.

"Chief, the phone lines just went dead!" the other tom meowed as the alarms went on.

Just then, the lights went out, but Lynxclaw grabbed a flashlight in his jaws and tossed them to Sunstar. "Catch!" he told him, going to grab another flashlight.

Alarms went off, and gas began pouring from the vents. The two cats had no idea what was up with the gas, but they guessed this had something to do with the Equalists. Sunstar looked up at the vents and meowed, "Lynxclaw! The vents!" As Lynxclaw Bended the air vents shut with MetalBending, he meowed, "We have to leave right now. Everyone, stay close to me."

So the cats quickly left the room, trying to avoid the gas. Sunstar and the police force padded down the hall, shielded from the gas by the former's AirBending. They emerged into the street, only to be confronted by a regiment of Romulus' mecha tanks.

"Those darn mecha tanks!" Sunstar hissed in dismay.

The mecha tanks activated magnetic arms, attracting the MetalBenders' armor and making them easy captives. Sunstar tried to rescue Lynxclaw with his AirBending, but the air was no match for electromagnetism. The mecha tanks deposited the police in the back of a waiting truck where cages were most likely staying. They returned to attack Sunstar and the police clerks, but Sunstar was able to hold them off with AirBending as the clerks tried to flee. The mecha tanks overcame him by swiping at his shoulder, creating a bloody gash on there. Sunstar fell to the ground and looked up as the truck began to pull away.

The golden tom looked up sadly at the leaving truck. "Lynxclaw...no..."

Looking up, he saw a police airship in flames, falling out of the sky. Another truck filled with Equalist agents had arrived, their claws unsheathed. Using their bola sticks, they captured the police clerks with quick ease. Sunstar felt his vision fade, and as he began to lose consciousness, the mecha tanks were closing in on him.

_United City is ruined..._

**...**

At that moment, the new AvatarClan was racing around the corner in the Avatarmobile, a new nickname Stonetail came up for it. The Equalists had already started their attack, and they were showing no signs of slowing down. As the car headed straight toward a large group of mecha tanks, Owlflame and Stonetail EarthBended a ramp in its path.

"Jump!" Emerald yowled.

So the four cats leapt from the car as it hit the ramp and went flying through the air, crashing into two of the mecha tanks and destroying them. The new AvatarClan ran forth and started their own attack. Caught by one mecha tank's grapple hook, Redblaze redirected its electric charge into the machine itself, shorting it out. Owlflame disabled another mecha tank by Bending water into its exhaust pipes while Stonetail knocked it over with EarthBending. But when they looked back, they saw something that made Owlflame's blood boil.

A group of Equalists were loading an unconscious Sunstar into a truck to be taken away. This made Owlflame so mad that she felt her claws sink into the car seat. These cats had no right in taking her mentor away; it just wasn't right! Emerald pounced forth to confront them and, using her electric claws and martial arts skills, defeated them very easily. Owlflame was impressed by the former kittypet's fighting moves.

"Thank you," Sunstar groaned to Emerald, slowly getting to his paws.

The AirClan leader joined the fight, AirBending a mecha tank into the sky and atop a building. Owlflame saw a large airship fly above their heads, and she recognized it as Anubis' airship. From above, in the safety of the airship, she could see the traitorous Romulus seeing the conflict through a telescope.

"Sunstar has escaped from our grasp once again," Romulus was hissing. "I can't stand to see my own daughter fighting alongside those _Benders_." He spat the word out as if it was a black widow spider biting his tongue.

Anubis merely nodded. "Do not worry, Romulus. We will capture them before long. And you will have Emerald back."

Owlflame looked back just as she felt a mecha tank's spike slash at her side. Hissing with rage and ignoring the blood leaking from the wound, she lashed at it with WaterBending and repeated the trick she used before. After more moves from the five cats, the mecha tanks were defeated. Redblaze had gotten a torn ear, Stonetail had a few clumps of fur missing from his flank, and Sunstar's left foreleg was drenched in mecha tank oil.

"Are you all right?" Owlflame asked her mentor as she padded over to him.

"I'm fine," Sunstar told her with a grateful smile. "Thanks to you young'uns, I have not lost a life like last time. Another moment later, and I would have been on my way to Anubis. Thank you four so much again."

Owlflame purred in relief at this. Despite their differences, she was happy that Sunstar was her AirBending mentor. Like his mother Silverheart, he was a family friend, and friends deserved to be well looked after.

"Um, guys?" At Redblaze's meow, they looked over to see the ginger tom pointing a paw to somewhere else. "Look over there."

But what Owlflame saw made her fur bristle in alarm._ Oh no..._

They could see AirClan Island from here, and as the group looks, they can see an Equalist airship hovering over the island. The Equalists were going to attack Sunstar's family...and they didn't seem to care if there were kits on the island. As long as there were Benders on the island, they would not hesitate to kill the kits. And since Dawnfall was so close to giving birth to her third litter of kits...

"Great StarClan no..." Sunstar gasped, his gray eyes wide with horror.

_We have to go back to the island, _Owlflame meowed, going back to the car. _Right _now_._

**...**

Back at AirClan Island, Shard and Dawnfall were shielding the kits when it suddenly happened. An airship was floating high above them, startling the white-tailed hawks into flight. A hatch opens in the bottom of the ship, and Equalists descended on a zip line towards the island. Not too far away, the cats from the Order of the Phoenix rushed forth to fight against them. They were met with bola sticks and claws, but they were not deterred.

Shard stood protectively in front of Sunstar's family, who watched in horror at their home being invaded. It didn't matter that Sunstar wasn't her mate anymore. What mattered more was to defend Dawnfall and her kits; even the Warrior Code said that no warrior should neglect kits in pain or in trouble.

"Everyone, go inside and stay calm," Shard told everyone. Then, as Dawnfall let out a sudden groan of pain, she spun around, hissing, "Pull yourself together, Dawnfall! What did I just say about remaining calm?"

Plumkit looked up at her mother worryingly. "What's wrong, Mama?"

"...kits..." Dawnfall rasped, crouching low and groaning. "The kits...they're coming!"

Ivykit's amber eyes were wide with alarm. "Oh StarClan, no!"

"Not now, kitties!" Foxkit squealed.

Shard sighed on the inside. This was the wrong time for Dawnfall to go into labor, during a time when the Equalists were starting to attack. But when she watched the Air disciples escort the panting golden-&-white she-cat inside, she knew that she had to stall the villains at all costs. If there was not a warrior on the island, then she or the kits would die.

_Bring it on, Equalists._

**...**

_**Commercial Break**_

**...**

A second Equalist airship had joined the attack on the island. The Order of the Phoenix sentries were fighting against the Equalists using their Bending. The Deputy (Shard knew the black cat was Anubis' second-in-command) was the last to descend the zip line. He led a large group of Equalists into the heart of the island, where they came across Shard, who was right there waiting for them. As quick as a flash of lightning, she used MetalBending and EarthBending to defeat several of them.

Quickly, Shard ran back to where Dawnfall was at, feeling pity for the pregnant queen lying in labor. Two female Air disciples were helping her, handing out sticks for her to grip on for the contractions and water for her to drink.

"The older kits...are they safe?" Dawnfall panted, her eyes tired.

"Don't worry, dear. They're fine," one of the Air disciples, an old green-eyed white she-cat, told her reassuringly. "They're in the other room."

Relieved that Dawnfall was still safe from the destruction, Shard raced back outside to encounter the Deputy in the courtyard. She attempted to subdue the black tom by throwing out metal cords, but he simply electrified them with his kali sticks, giving her a nasty shock that threw her to the ground. Shard glared up at the Deputy, who approached to deliver the decisive blow.

But suddenly…

"Get away from my dad's ex-mate!"

In an instant, she saw Ivykit lunge forth and latch onto the Deputy's left ear, her claws sinking into his face. The Deputy was thrashing around, yowling for her to let go, yet the light brown she-kit still clung on. Finally, with a muffled yowl, Ivykit wrenched her head away, and the Deputy's left ear was torn clean off. While the black cat gave a startled snarl as blood ran down his face, Ivykit spun around and did an AirBending kick, sending him onto a roof.

"Ivykit?!" Shard yowled after the kit. "What the hell are you doing out here?!"

But when the words left her mouth, Plumkit ran forth, yowling "Get off our island, Equalists!" and knocking over Equalists using her Air Paws like she was on ice. She had not known that kits could fight, but still...it was too dangerous for them!

So she called, "Kits! Go back inside right now!"

But then she saw Foxkit leap off a roof into a group of Equalists, his pale eyes lit up with energy. "Taste my fury!" he squealed, turning around and farting into one of their faces. This caused the tom to reel back and choke from the stench, looking at Foxkit as if he was a skunk.

"Foxkit, be careful!" Shard called. But the warning was unnecessary, for Foxkit was handling the Equalists in his own spastic way, screeching his face off. "...never mind."

Even though she didn't want the kits to get hurt, she was amazed by their power. If Goldstar was still alive, he would be amazed at his own grandkits kicking Equalists tail. Her mother would have also been proud of her "great grandnieces and great grandnephew". Perhaps Nightfoot's powerful spirit was channeling through them in this fight.

Finally, after several more minutes of brawling, the fight was over. Some of the Equalists fled back to their airships, and the winners (Shard, the kits, and the sentries) surveyed the Equalists they captured.

"Take these Equalists and lock them in the temple's basement," Shard told the sentries. As they padded off with the prisoners, she turned to the kits, smiling. "Nice work, kits. You three will make fine warriors one day."

The kits purred at the praise. Just then, they turned to see Ryu landing in the courtyard, piloted by Sunstar and bearing New AvatarClan on his back. The kits ran over to their father, Shard just behind them and padding slowly.

"Dad!" Ivykit called, running forth to give her father a hug.

Sunstar gently nuzzled her head with his nose. "Thank StarClan you're all right."

"We caught the bad guys!" Foxkit squealed. "And we beat 'em up good!"

"What?!" Sunstar was shocked at hearing his kits fight. He turned on Shard, hissing furiously. "You let them fight, Shard?! Do you realize what could have happened?!"

Shard met his gaze proudly. "Yes. I would have been vole meat if not for your kits. You should be proud of them, Sunstar. You taught them well, and they will make fine warriors one day. I promise." Sunstar gazed down proudly at his future warriors as New AvatarClan got down from Ryu. "Now go on. Your mate needs you."

**(Korra: Again, switching POVs.)**

Owlflame was still amazed to hear about Sunstar's kits fighting Equalists. First, these were kits around three moons and five moons fighting seasoned rogues. Second, kits were usually never allowed to fight until they became warriors. Yet she knew she was capable of fighting off an owl when she was an apprentice, so she decided to let it go. Besides, it sounded cool.

_Shard's right. Sunstar should be proud of his kits...and he already is._

Just as they all padded down the hallway, they could hear kits squealing. Owlflame felt a rush of wind blow past her as she saw Sunstar race down the hallway and to the medicine room. His gray eyes were filled with worry as he pawed at the door like a dog, and when the door opened, he stepped inside slowly. Owlflame and her friends followed the golden-pelted AirClan leader inside and saw an amazing sight.

Dawnfall was resting on their nest, her stunning green eyes shining and a beautiful smile on her face as she looked up at Sunstar. Then she looked back down towards her belly (which was no longer swollen) at two balls of fuzz suckling from her. She had succeeded in giving birth to her kits, one dark gray with white paws and the other ginger.

"Hey Sunstar," Dawnfall purred. "Meet our new sons."

Sunstar looked like he was walking on legs of jelly, but his eyes were filled with joy and love as he padded forth, his older kits behind him. He gazed down fondly at his new sons and purred, "Well...hello, young ones. Come, you three," he gently told his older kits. "Come and meet your new brothers."

"Brothers?" Foxkit asked as they crowded around the newborns. "Well it's about time!"

"Welcome to the world, kittens!" Plumkit mewed to the kits, joy on the older ones' faces. "I'm Plumkit, and these are Ivykit and Foxkit. We have a super-great family, and we're so happy that you're a part of it!"

Ivykit purred before looking up at her parents. "What're you gonna name them? Can I pick?"

Dawnfall purred down to her daughter, "We already chose a name for the dark gray one."

"He will be named Crowkit," Sunstar meowed. "And the ginger one will be..."

"Goldkit?" Owlflame found herself meowing. As Sunstar and Dawnfall gave her a curious look, she added, "You know...after your father, Sunstar."

The older kits looked excited about this. Owlflame felt herself blush at this; she did not mean to interrupt Sunstar and his family during a heartwarming moment. But then...she saw Sunstar and Dawnfall trade nostalgic smiles.

"Then that'll be his name," Dawnfall purred, looking down at the ginger kit.

Sunstar nodded, giving his mate a tender lick on the ear. "Our new sons. Crowkit...and Goldkit."

Owlflame shared a small smile with Redblaze, wondering if they would have kits together of their own one day. The kits could either be blue-furred like her or even red-pelted like him. In fact...they could even be a mixed number of colors. But she had never thought of having kits before; she might be an Avatar Cat, but she would need to have kits of her own one day. Still...it was nice to see her mentor spend time with his mate and their newborn kits.

But just when Shard, Stonetail, and Emerald came in to see the kits, she heard a loud explosion from outside, making Crowkit and Goldkit squeak. The Equalists must have tried yet another attack on the island.

"Sorry to interrupt, but more airships are coming," she told everyone.

Everyone looked shocked at this piece of news. Even Plumkit turned to Sunstar, mewling, "Everything's not going to be fine, is it, Daddy?"

The large golden tom looked uneasily at his family and shook his head. Owlflame knew that meant they had to leave the island quick before the Equalists could catch them. But since Dawnfall was already exhausted from giving birth to Crowkit and Goldkit, they would need to be extra careful.

After getting prepared, all the cats went out to the courtyard. They all watched as two Equalist airships began flying in to repeat the attack on the island. Soon, there would be too much for a couple of cats to handle. There hadn't been an attack like this ever since the Shadow Meteor battle, when Goldstar defeated Darkstar. She had heard of these tales from Silverheart, but this was all becoming too real.

"Sunstar, what do you wanna do?" Owlflame asked, turning to her mentor.

He gazed back at her. "I need to protect my family and get them as far away from this conflict as possible. If Anubis ever got his paws on my children..." He gave a small shiver that made his entire mane bristle. "I hate to even _think_ of it."

"Well, if you're leaving, then I'll go with you," Shard piped up, having heard the conversation between mentor and apprentice. When it looked like Sunstar was going to protest, she added sternly, "You and three of your kits are the last AirBenders; you became the last AirBenders after Goldstar died. There's no way in HELL that I'm letting Anubis take your Bending away."

"Thank you, Shard," Sunstar told her, dipping his head to her. To Owlflame, he meowed, "I want you and your friends to leave this island and hide for now."

Owlflame gawked back at him, hardly believing her ears. She growled, "Are you suggesting that we should give up? 'Cause I'm NOT giving up! I won't!"

Sunstar shook his shaggy head. "I wasn't suggesting that. I sent word to the United Forces. They will be here soon to help out in fighting against the Equalists. And once my family is safe, I will return to the island. With the reinforcements, we can turn the tide in this war...hopefully."

"What you're saying is..." Owlflame started to get a grip on what he was telling her. "...we just need to be patient, right?"

"Yes," Sunstar told her kindly. "You're learning well, my apprentice."

So they all went off to the courtyard, preparing to flee. Three Asian Lung dragons bearing all the AirBenders, Air disciples, and Shard were waiting to take off. The new AvatarClan, Nisa, and two Order sentries were bidding them farewell, but Owlflame wanted to say a personal goodbye to her mentor. So she leapt up onto Ryu's side and gave Sunstar a hug, who returned the gesture along with Dawnfall and the kits.

As they broke apart, Sunstar meowed, "Goodbye for now, Owlflame. Stay safe."

Owlflame nodded to him. "Thanks. You too, Sunstar."

"If we're leaving, we better do it now," Shard meowed after giving her farewell in return. It seemed like she wanted to leave right then and now.

"You're right," Sunstar meowed, leaping back to the front of the saddle. Once he settled there, he meowed, "Ryu, yip yip."

The brown-striped white dragon gave a roar and lifted off, the black-furred dragon and the gray-furred dragon following this, two Equalist airships broke away and began following them. Another airship joined the attack on the island, and Owlflame unsheathed her claws as she saw Equalists descend on a zip line and confront the group. The sentries assumed some defensive postures while New AvatarClan did the same thing.

"Go," a black-&-gray tom told them. "We'll hold them off."

Owlflame nodded before turning back to her friends. "Everyone, climb on!" Once everyone was on board, she jumped up front and called, "Let's go, girl."

With a howl, Nisa galloped off across the island, easily carrying the four cats and meerkat. The Equalists and the sentries began battling, and Owlflame was shocked to see that the Order of the Phoenix was getting outnumbered by them. The younger cats seemed to be getting away when Stonetail yowled, "Goggles Cat!"

Owlflame looked up in time to see the Deputy suddenly emerge nearby, sliding down a cliff towards them with head still bleeding from the missing ear. With another howl, Nisa leapt into the air to meet him in his descent and, with one swipe of her giant paw, sent him flailing down onto the beach far below.

"Nice one, Nisa!" Owlflame praised her wolf.

Nisa barked and continued on, plunging off a pier into Moon Bay. Once they were all in the water, Owlflame WaterBended a protective bubble around them, and they began swimming towards United City. She knew where they could flee for now, a place no Equalist would even bother to try searching. It was a place she did not want to go to herself, but there was no other place to hide in.

Back in the sky, Shard, Sunstar, and the family were desperately trying to flee from the airships, to no avail. No matter how much speed they tried to pick up, the Equalist airships were gaining up on them quickly.

"They're gaining on us!" Shard called.

Hearing this, Sunstar flicked the reins, calling, "Faster, Ryu!"

One airship shot out a line with a net at the end, trying to capture the group. Unsheathing her claws, Shard leapt up and slashed at it to foil their attempt. As she saw that their flight was now hopeless, she tied herself to a second line shot out from the airship and cast a wistful glance back at the AirBender family. If nothing was done, her old friend and his family would all get caught or killed.

With determination, she meowed, "You go on without me. Whatever happens to me, don't turn back."

"What?!" Sunstar yelped, facing her. "Shard, what are you doing?!"

"Saving you all. Don't try to make me reconsider," Shard replied. She looked back at him and went on, "In this world, there are more important things than my own life. You all still have a tomorrow. And for that tomorrow...keep yourself and your family safe."

Running down Ryu's tail, the brown she-cat then leapt into the air. Retracting her metal line, she pulled herself up onto the roof of the airship, MetalBending a hole in the roof and pulling a large section free. An explosion occurred, and the airship began to sink out of the sky. As it did, Shard ran across the roof, propelling herself with MetalBending onto the roof of the second airship. Her mother would have been proud of her, for Nightfoot had done the same thing against a fleet of FireClan ships during the final battle against Darkstar.

But as she began a similar demolition, Equalists emerged from a hatch in the roof and swiped their electric paws at her. Shard was caught on the chest by one and fell down, electrocuted in the process and gritting her teeth in pain. The airship veered away with its captive as the AirBenders looked on, stunned.

"That cat's my hero," Foxkit mewed.

Sunstar nodded sadly. "Yes...yes she is, Foxkit."

Back in the sewers, Owlflame looked out at the island. More Equalists were coming, and the Order would have no chance against that many cats. The cats were about to flee into hiding, and Owlflame knew there was no way the Equalists would find them in there. She could see the island being fully invaded now as she sadly gazed on at the besieged temple. And she was so caught up in the sadness that she didn't scent a familiar tom coming up to her.

"Come on, Owlflame," Redblaze meowed, nudging her shoulder. "Let's keep going."

Owlflame knew there was no other way to save the others, but there would be a way somehow. So they went into the sewers, Redblaze gently nudging her along. Unsuspectingly to the two of them, Emerald followed them with a sour look on her face.

**...**

Later that night, it was raining on a conquered AirClan Island. Shard had been kept at the new prisoner of the Equalists, and she knew there would be more after her. But she did not care now; what mattered was that Sunstar and his family was safe. Yet it came at a cost.

The bleeding she-cat was dragged out of the prisoner cage and forced to her side before Anubis. Shard knew she was surrounded by Anubis' forces, but she kept glaring up at him defiantly. He would not win this war; he would fall like Darkstar of FireClan fell ten years ago.

"Tell me where the Avatar Cat is, and I'll let you keep your Bending," Anubis told her, pinning her head down with his paw.

"Go ahead, you bastard. Do it," Shard spat up at him. "I'm not telling you anything. But...I know that she'll be the one to put an end to you. I promise."

Anubis merely shrugged. "Very well. I warned you."

At this, he unsheathed his claws and sank them into her shoulder, sinking his teeth into her head. Shard did not try and struggle, but she saw blood leak down around her paws. She closed her green eyes and accepted her fate as she felt Anubis' body tense up with de-Bending her. But when she had her eyes closed, she felt a part of her leave and go up to StarClan.

She recalled, many moons ago, Nightfoot telling her about how Darkstar was de-Bended. And she had asked her mother if she would hate her if she was not a Bender. Nightfoot told her no, that she would love her no matter what she was. What was more, she had the blood of kittypets in her, so she knew Anubis would not bother with her for too long. All the same, she was proud of Sunstar for keeping his family safe.

_Please, Mother...keep Sunstar, his family, and his allies safe._

**...**

Daytime.

The light gray tabby tom scanned the area, feeling the salty sea air ruffle his whiskers and his head fur. He thanked StarClan that he had inherited his grandfather's physical build and pelt length; it had helped him stand the cool weather. Behind him, another warrior, a black-&-orange EarthClan tom, came up to him, and the first cat believed he had news.

"Sir, I just received a wire from the Avatar Cat," the cat meowed. "She says Anubis and his Equalists have gained control of the city. How do you want to respond to this?"

"Tell her we will be arriving in three days," the light gray tabby tom meowed, his amber eyes swerving back to the city. "I look forward to winning back United City with the Avatar Cat."

The other cat nodded. "As you wish, Ironclaw of FireClan," he meowed before heading off to relay this order.

Ironclaw smiled a bit as he looked around him. His ship was all but one of a United Forces naval flotilla, steaming towards United City. Anubis would regret attacking the city under his eye, and with Owlflame, the safe haven for all four Clans would be saved.

_**To be continued...**_

**...**

**AvatarCat12: This is probably the shortest chapter in The Legend Of Owlflame...for now.**

**Korra: But still, it was pretty intense. And we're gonna see more of Iroh's cat form...Iroh Two anyways. And were you hoping that Pema would name her kid Aang the Second...or Aang Two?**

**AvatarCat12: Probably. But I'm happy with the name they gave him. So...you wanna say the review thing and the preview for Hawkfrost's Secret?**

**Korra: Sure! (To the readers) Read and review, everyone! Those who read this chapter will get a virtual plate of cookies. The flavor of the cookies is all up to you! We will NOT allow flames on here or I'll use my own FireBending to keep it away. But we allow constructive criticism and advice, as long as it's not harsh.**

**Preview: The tyrannical reign of Anubis rages on, and Owlflame and her allies are spying on the inside to overthrow him. Along the way, Ironclaw of FireClan is on his way to fight United City; can Owlflame help him out? Soon, they find an old enemy hiding the dark and terrible past of Anubis. Will they be prepared for the truth?**

**Both: See ya next time! And have a Happy New Year!**


	12. Hawkfrost's Secret

**AvatarCat13: Here it is. The season one finale! You ready, Korra?**

**Korra: (Smiles and slightly punches his shoulder) You bet, Avatar Cat. I was BORN ready.**

**AvatarCat13: So far, things are looking grim in this chapter. But on the good side, I got my hair cut today.  
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**Korra: That's great! You kinda looked like a grizzly bear with all that hair.  
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**AvatarCat13: Yeah, they say that...that, and a woolly mammoth. So on with the disclaimer!  
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**Disclaimer: The proud owners of The Legend Of Korra and Warrior Cats are Michael DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, and Erin Hunter. I don't own these two awesome series. Never have, never will.**

**Summary: ****The tyrannical reign of Anubis rages on, and Owlflame and her allies are spying on the inside to overthrow him. Along the way, Ironclaw of FireClan is on his way to fight United City; can Owlflame help him out? Soon, they find an old enemy hiding the dark and terrible past of Anubis. Will they be prepared for the truth?**

**Uploading Date: January 20, 2013**

**Enjoy!**

**...**

_**Hawkfrost's Secret**_

"Let all cats old enough to de-Bend a foe gather at the temple for a meeting!"

The Equalists talking near the AirBender pond looked around to see Anubis and Romulus Sato leaping onto a platform in front of the temple. Multiple Equalist airships were now patrolling the sky just above the City Hall, and numerous mecha tanks rolled around on the city square and on the pathways. It had been a few days since the Equalists had taken over AirClan Island, and they had changed it quite a bit; the black bears and other animals moved farther away from them.

And Goldstar's statue...some cats had felt their blood chill into deathly cold territory. The face was covered with a large replica of Anubis' black mask. And the staff Goldstar usually held in his jaws...had a large banner at the top, symbolizing the end of all Bending in the city. Seeing the crowd, the orange-&-white she-cat and the black-&-tan tom went over to join them.

"It is a glorious day, my Equalist brothers and sisters for us!" Romulus yowled when they all arrived to gather. "Anubis has torn down the oppressive bending government. He has even made the Pro-Bending arena his own meeting area! He has declared ALL Bending illegal, and he has the Avatar Cat in retreat. Our great leader has a great vision for the future: soon...Bending will no longer exist, and we will live in a world where all cats are equal! The United Forces are on their way right now to try and stop that dream from happening, but we will prevail!"

At that yowl, the crowd cheered and yowled to the gray sky up in support. Back in the back of the crowd, the female chi blocker turned towards her partner and nodded as they both turned their backs on the crowd and padded away. The two cats made their way through the foliage of bushes and shrubs until they arrived at a giant rock. With a flick of her tail, the female chi blocker EarthBended the rock as both she and her partner leapt into the hole. As they fell away, she moved the rock back into position to prevent any pursuers.

Owlflame and Redstone removed their masks before padding down a metal and somewhat rusty corridor. They had gone to the Equalist meeting to hear what Anubis or one of his minions had to say about Bending. It set Owlflame's blood on fire when she heard that she was on the run; she was waiting for Ironclaw of FireClan to arrive.

"Can you believe Romulus?!" she spat, rolling her eyes as she stalked on. "'He has the Avatar Cat on the run.' That's bullshit! I'm not running from anyone! Let's go back and knock some heads off; they'll never know what hit 'em."

"Just relax," Redblaze told her, catching up to her. "Ironclaw will be coming with an entire fleet of battleships. Then Anubis will be the one who's running with his tail between his legs."

Owlflame stopped and pulled back in defeat, realizing that he was right...but she still didn't want to wait. She muttered, "I hate this being patient stuff...but sure."

It was true that she didn't want to wait, but if she did something now, something bad would happen. Anubis would also find out about the plan and squash it faster than a fly. Letting Redblaze take the lead, they padded down the tunnel to their destination.

Stonetail and Emerald were sitting on crates as they watched Timon look at a sprig of leaves at Stonetail's paws. He moved it up and down as Timon performed a backflip and then leapt onto his owner's shoulders. Appearing to have already scented Owlflame and Redblaze, the other two cats turned to look at them. Owlflame looked around at the area; there were already other dens nearby in here.

"You two were gone a while," Emerald told them, her green eyes narrowing in suspicion.

Redblaze looked uneasy, but he replied defensively, "That's because we were just out on patrol."

Emerald's pupils were almost invisible as she narrowed them to the thinnest; Owlflame knew that she was really suspicious. But all she did was mutter "Whatever," and looked away.

"Welcome back!" Owlflame looked around at the next cat that came up to them; this cat was the black-&-white loner named Tramp she met when she came to United City. "Hope you worked up an appetite after the scouting! Dinner is served!"

All the cats padded over to where the food was being prepared, a log used as a makeshift table. But when Owlflame looked into the nearest bowl, she almost lost her appetite. This was a pot of brown gruel, and the loner was stirring it and ladling the contents into a bowl. But Owlflame knew better than to object about the food, so she thankfully accepted a bowl of it from Tramp.

"Thanks so much for letting us hide out with you the past few days," she told him.

"Honored to oblige!" Tramp purred, ladling some gruel into another bowl and handing it over to Stonetail. "My friends and I vigorously oppose Anubis' professed 'Equalist policies'. We got both Benders and non-Benders living together down here, but do you see us fightin' amongst ourselves? No sir. No fighting, no strife. We figured out how to pleasantly co-exist."

"You are a wise and noble loner," Stonetail meowed, bowing in an exaggerated way to him. "I mean, this is the best street gruel I've ever tasted! Seriously," he added, watching Emerald look down curiously into her bowl.

Tramp purred. "Thanks! I removed it from the finest dumpers the city has to offer! A dumpster's a loner's food paradise!"

Upon hearing this, Emerald's eyes widened once she lapped up some of the gruel. She spit the gruel back into the bowl and coughed, mewing what Owlflame swore was "Shit, this tastes bad!" Then she put the bowl down on the floor, where Timon ran towards the bowl and squeaked as he licked the gruel like a starving cat. Owlflame almost put hers to the side, but to show Tramp the respect he needed, she ate it without complaint.

_I guess Stonetail and Redblaze are used to eating this, seeing as they were once rogues._

**...**

Owlflame could not sleep that night. She looked to the side to see Stonetail and Emerald asleep on the floor in straw nests. Timon was sleeping near his owner's head, making small whimpering sounds; that meant he was dreaming. But Owlflame, who was sleeping next to Nisa, could not sleep for one reason.

Tomorrow was the day that they would meet Ironclaw of FireClan. She had heard that he was Bearstar's grandson and a powerful warrior. But she didn't know if Anubis would sabotage this plan or not...but knowing the Equalist leader, he would. Owlflame laid her head back down onto her paws as she tried to go back to sleep.

"Can't sleep either?"

Owlflame turned at the owner of the familiar voice. Redblaze was padding over towards her, his eyes tired yet determined.

"No," she admitted, turning away a bit. "It's like I have this awful pit deep in my belly."

Redblaze nodded and sat down beside her. "Yeah. Me too."

Owlflame sighed. "It's so crazy, you know? A few moons ago, I was in the South Pole finishing my FireBending test, and now...now I'm in the middle of an extreme war. A war more extreme than the Fourteen Year War...somewhat."

"I know. We didn't even know each other then," Redblaze told her. With a blush even visible in his red-orange fur, he added, "And now...I can't imagine my life without you in it, Owlflame. You're the most loyal, bravest, and noblest cat I've ever met."

"Really?" Owlflame asked, amazed that even Redblaze could tell her something like this. She felt a blush come across her cheeks as well as she mewed, "I...I think you're pretty incredible too, but you already knew that."

She let her eyes glance to the side towards Redblaze, seeing his fur glow pale gray in a shaft of moonlight from a window. He looked so handsome to her, powerful and caring too. Owlflame knew that tomorrow, she could lose him...but she couldn't bear to be away from him. She then looked around at Redblaze, bright blue meeting sharp amber, as they inched forth towards each other a bit, their whiskers brushing together.

Just then, Owlflame realized what she was doing, so she interrupted the moment by turning her head away. "I...should probably try to get some sleep," she muttered, curling up into a ball.

Redblaze looked disappointed, but he merely stood up and started to pad away. "Yeah, me too. Good-night, Owlflame," he meowed over his shoulder.

"Good night, Redblaze."

She curled up beside Nisa with her eyes wide open, still worried about the next day. What if she had lost Redblaze the next day and she wasn't there to help him? But there was no time to think about all that, for she felt her eyelids start to get heavy. So she curled up even more into a ball, laid her tail over her nose, and finally fell asleep.

But during her sleep, she felt into a nightmare...that seemed like a vision. Owlflame was at a big tower on AirClan Island at night as a couple of Equalist airships patrolled with their searchlights on. At the bottom of the tower, Anubis was standing still as The Deputy brought in a blindfolded MetalBending tabby towards the white tom. The Deputy roughly shoved the cat down on his belly, making him groan in pain. When the cop had his blindfold taken off, he appeared to be dizzy and confused.

"You will now be cleansed of your contamination," Anubis told him, stalking over to the now-panicking tom.

Just like what she had seen in the Equalist Revelation, he sank his fangs into the tom's neck while burying his claws into his forehead. A split second later, the cop gasped and collapses on the floor, weakened. Owlflame felt the horror in her heart again as she saw the cop get his own Bending taken away; what if hers and her friends' Bending got taken too tomorrow?

And all Anubis said about this was "Next."

The Deputy nodded before grabbing another cat by the scruff and hauling him away. The Order Of The White Lotus cats and cops quivered in fear while the second cop was taken away to get his Bending taken away. And before Owlflame could see more of this, she closed her eyes and drifted off into unconsciousness.

**...**

They stood at the entrance of the tunnel leading to the hideout the next morning. Ironclaw was to come around and help them defeat the Equalists, but thanks to the fog over the bay, it would be hard to find him or see what he looked like. Now Redblaze was leaning against the side and looking out carefully.

"Coast is clear," the ginger tom meowed, waving his tail and beckoning the others to follow.

The four cats slowly climbed up a flight of stairs beside the tunnel entrance up to the top of a platform overlooking the bay as they crouched down behind the railings to get into position. As they settled down, Stonetail fished out a telescope and peeked out from it, his green eyes now slits of awareness. The bay was thick with fog, and Owlflame could barely see AirClan Island.

"Once the United Forces arrive, we need to be ready to help in any way we can," Owlflame went through the plan. Stonetail and Emerald looked over at her and nodded.

"They're here."

At Redblaze's words, the others turned their heads towards the water. Stonetail gave a gasp and turned the telescope around and peeked through it the wrong way. Having noticed this, the tabby tom flipped it the right way and continued looking out to the bay. Owlflame narrowed her eyes and spotted a silhouette of ships behind the dense fog; the United Forces fleet must have arrived at last.

Thanks to having excellent hearing, Owlflame heard a young male voice speak. The tom was meowing, "Anubis had to know we were coming...why haven't we met any resistance?"

"Wait a second," Owlflame muttered, staring up at the sky. "Where are the Equalist airships?"

Redblaze took Stonetail's telescope and ran further down the platform to scout some things out. He looked through the telescope, surveying the warehouses at the side of the water. "I don't see any mecha tanks either," he meowed.

He gave Owlflame a worried look, and she was confused. It didn't feel right; Anubis couldn't have known that the United Forces were on their way. The four cats watched the fleets slowly make their way in, but Owlflame's fur kept bristling. She could imagine Ironclaw (as a black shadow since she did not know what he looked like yet) pacing around, muttering "Something's not right here..."

Suddenly, an exploding sound reached Owlflame's ears as she saw a gush of water rising up at the side of one of the ships. A couple of naval mines were floating on the surface and sparking off. Now she knew why the Equalists did not show up on the bay.

"It's a trap!" she could hear Ironclaw roar.

Owlflame saw a grimace on the shadow's face as another explosion went off behind him and he leapt away. She did not want to keep watching as they got bombed; the Equalists had gone too far in doing this.

_And it's about time I did something about it!_

With a yowl, she leapt over a railing and kept doing so, panting from all the running and leaping she had to do. The blue-gray she-cat reached the water and dove in right away, WaterBending a spout to soften the dive. She reached up in time and started to make her way towards the ships.

"WaterBenders and EarthBenders, ignite those mines!" Ironclaw yowled through a microphone. A distant rumbling sound was heard, making him add, "What's making that sound?"

He ran off to see how the rest of the fleet was doing; one of the ships was already billowing out black smoke. The tabby tom ran forward to look at the source of the motor noise, shocked at what had happened. Anubis couldn't have known about the invasion of the Equalists already.

Owlflame resurfaced for air and looked back to land. The motor engine sounds were getting even stronger. She saw Redblaze's amber eyes narrow as he looked ahead, mewing "What now?"

A shadow passed over Owlflame's head, and she looked up at a figure in the sky at the back of another building. More figures were joining in as they flew behind a building. She realized what they were: a group of airplanes flying out from behind the building and making its way towards the fleet. As another group flew in, they all gazed up at the planes in shock.

"Wow. Where does Romulus find the time to keep creating new evil machines?" Stonetail asked.

The planes flying at the smoking United Forces fleet were all decorated with Equalist symbols on their wings. More planes flew above Owlflame's head, revealing how vast the Equalist forces are. A closer look made Owlflame snarl; Romulus was taking the lead, looking down as a hatch opened to reveal a bomb strapped inside. The straps were released, and the bomb dropped with a whistling sound, hurtling down fast and followed closely by a second bomb.

Seeing this, Owlflame quickly dove underwater to escape as more planes flew back. A bomb was dropped squarely on it, and it exploded into flames. More planes flew by, and they dropped more bombs on the ship, setting it on fire. Owlflame watched from underwater as a plane dropped two torpedoes into the water, and she ducked to narrowly avoid them as they made their way towards another ship.

Thanks to training in the Southern WaterClan, she could hold her breath for a good few minutes. Owlflame saw two United Forces warriors standing on a platform as the torpedoes headed at the bottom of the ship. The cats leapt off the platform, and the torpedoes made impact, exploding the ship and sending torrents of water everywhere. This caused Owlflame to be blown back through the water and paddle hard to get back into focus.

This battles was only getting even tougher.

**...**

_**Commercial Break**_

**...**

Bombs kept dropping into the water. Owlflame headed towards one of the ships just as a plane flew by and dropped another torpedo. The missile weapon dropped down into the water and flew off through the bay.

"Incoming!"

Owlflame saw two warriors thrown off into the water by the force of the explosion, letting out some yowls. One of the Equalist airplanes rotated itself to the side slightly and flew down to the ships as two cats FireBended flames into the turret while a third cat FireBended towards the Equalist plane, which easily dodged the fire. As the plane flew off, it released another bomb, and it exploded, knocking the warriors off their paws.

At last, when she couldn't hold her breath any longer, Owlflame surfaced for air, gasping, and looked at the carnage. Her eyes followed a plane as it dropped another bomb, which struck the ship behind her. The planes flew by, ignoring the fallen ships, as an EarthBender inside the ship EarthBended an earth disc with a grunt towards a passing plane. He was immediately knocked off his paws by a wave of water caused by an explosion. The plane flew towards the ship, but two earth discs flew forth, splitting it in half. Seeing this, the pilot jumped off right away.

As the FireBenders released their fire, a fire turret that was adorned with the FireClan symbol fired a fiery missile towards an Equalist plan, hitting it hard head-on. The pilot of the plane then leapt out of the destroyed plane as quickly as it could. Said plane exploded into a cloud of gas and metal, and the pilot floated down to the water safely in his parachute.

Owlflame took a deep breath and dove back underwater. She then spun around, causing a big whirlpool to swirl around her and rise over the water. After she reached a certain height, she moved her forepaws around in a circular motion, forcing an ice spike to appear out of the bay in front of an Equalist plane flying towards her. The plane crashed right into it, and one of its wings broke off as the plane skidded along the surface of the water and slammed into the water spout. The spout instantly collapsed, and Owlflame let out a hiss as she fell into the water.

As she landed in the red-tinted water, a torpedo was hurtling at her, but Owlflame managed to WaterBend the water around the torpedo and send it rocketing towards the surface. The torpedo made contact with an Equalist plane, and it exploded in a cloud of gas and blood. For the second time, Owlflame surfaced for air and looked around, trying to find Ironclaw again. She sniffed the air a bit and began to swim towards one of the ships.

Back on the ship, Ironclaw opened a hatch and climbed a ladder up to one of the lookout posts on the mast. He swiped fire claws towards two planes and destroyed them while they were in the air. The range of his flames was long and powerful; he had thanked his grandfather for teaching him these skills. He continued firing as one plane moved away, and he turned to see three planes flying towards him. With a determined heart, he FireBended a series of shots by swiping his claws at the air and lashing his tail.

Sadly, the trio of planes quickly dodged the flames...however, one of the planes got hit and then dropped down. The other two planes kept on flying, and another FireBending blast knocked the second plane off course. The remaining plane kept flying towards Ironclaw's ship as it kept up with dodging the flames. As it neared the mast, it dropped a bomb while Ironclaw kicked at it. But Owlflame saw that it was the wrong thing to do. The bomb exploded on the spot, and the FireClan warrior was thrown off by the explosion. The fur on his left foreleg had been burnt off, and Owlflame could see him for clearly for the first time; he was a big light gray tabby tom, but there was a nasty bleeding wound on said foreleg.

Ironclaw's body slammed into the water, unconscious. His body was beginning to sink slowly towards the bottom, but Owlflame was quicker. She swam towards him, grabbed his scruff in her jaws, and used her paws to paddle back to the surface. As she got him onto her back, they had resurfaced, gasping and coughing for air as debris floated around them.

"It's alright," Owlflame grunted, bearing the weight of Ironclaw. "I've got you."

"You must be Avatar Cat Owlflame...and you just saved my life," the big gray cat coughed as he looked around at her. With a smile, he meowed, "Thank you."

She slapped a forepaw down onto the water and WaterBended them rapidly out of the chaos. With a grunt with Ironclaw on her shoulders, she looked back at all the ships smoking as the Equalist planes flew around.

**...**

This part was over...but Owlflame felt defeat. She and her friends managed to return to the sewers, Ironclaw leaning on her shoulder with blood on his pelt. They settled down in front of a fire Tramp had started to make while Owlflame settled Ironclaw down onto a nest. She got a pail of water next to her and Bended the water out, washing away the wounds on the warrior's body. The others sat around them, watching them with worried eyes.

"I was prepared to deal with the mecha tanks...but not these new high-speed jets," Ironclaw began, grunting in pain as the water washed over his nastiest wound. The blood was being washed away by Stonetail, who had gotten a pail of water and poured it over him.

Owlflame nodded. "I know." She gritted her teeth and hissed, "It's so...fox-dung! Every time we think we have an advantage, that smartass Anubis outsmarts us."

"Yeah! No matter what our plan is, he always comes up with a better one!" Stonetail added.

Ironclaw lifted himself partially out of the nest. "Anubis is winning so far...but we're not out of the fight yet, thank StarClan."

Stonetail purred. "I like this guy's confidence! So...how are we not out of the fight?"

"May I?" Ironclaw asked Owlflame for permission to get up. With a nod from her, he stood up and went on,_ "_A second wave of cavalries is already on the way, but I need to warn them to stay away until the coast is clear. Do you still have a way to get a message out?"

"I know just the cat for the job, Ironclaw," Owlflame purred, getting an idea. She had gotten a letter from Tramp when he had first invited her and her friends to stay for a while.

So they went to find Tramp, who had obviously come back from the dump with more food. The black-&-white tom had immediately agreed to what Ironclaw asked of him to do. They all went over to where he made his den, which was a makeshift tent made of Twoleg blankets and bison hides, a typewriter on a small table. Then Tramp held up a wire in each paw and plugged them into the typewriter, ready to write.

"And who is the recipient of this top secret message?" Tramp asked them loyally.

"The recipient will be Commander Rockfall, Second Division of The United Forces," Ironclaw commanded.

"Rockfall? You mean Sunstar's brother?" Owlflame asked. She had heard Silverheart talk about Sunstar's older littermate from before, along with their oldest sister Seashell.

Ironclaw nodded. "Yes. He's the other son of Goldstar and Silverheart, so he's Sunstar's older brother. He can be a bit on the wild side, but he's the bravest warrior you'll ever meet."

As the others nodded, Tramp did a salute and meowed, "Ready, sir!"

At this, the loner began to press the keys of the telegraph device repeatedly as Ironclaw delivered his message. "Fleet waylaid and destroyed by Equalist aircraft. Retreat to Inferno Island until my signal. Do not approach United City until you receive the all clear."

_Hopefully this works, _Owlflame thought. With that being done, Rockfall could avoid walking into an ambush and get attacked by Equalists.

Next, they all went over to a map of United City, trying to find out how to deal with the Equalist planes. This was much easier to listen to thanks to Hawkfrost not sounding like a drone of bees on a newleaf morning. Ironclaw was moving a claw along the map and stopped it in the upper left corner of the map.

"Now here comes the hard part," Ironclaw explained. "We need to take those aircraft down to the ground. Or else Rockfall's fleet will never be able to re-take the city."

Redblaze padded towards the table and pointed a paw to the upper left part of the map. "From what I can remember, they flew in from this direction. The airfield must be somewhere over this mountain range," he added, flicking his other paw to the mountains on the map.

Ironclaw nodded. "All right then. Everyone get ready, for we leave at sunrise tomorrow morning. StarClan be with us all."

At this, Redblaze nodded, and everyone was dismissed as they walked away from the map. Owlflame swore she heard Emerald murmur "It's time to take down my father" with a sad yet determined face before she could leave. This reminded her of how she should face Anubis; she didn't want to keep running from him anymore. She was a warrior, and warriors would fight.

"Wait." Every cat turned to face her as she looked down at her paws. "I'm sorry, but...I'm not going with you tomorrow."

"What?" Redblaze asked in shock.

Emerald's eyes narrowed. "Why not?"

"I'm sick and tired of hiding from Anubis like a mouse," Owlflame meowed. "It's high time I face him."

Ironclaw gave her a concerned look. "This isn't a good plan, Owlflame. Remember that we need to stick together."

Owlflame shook her head. "I'm not gonna wait for him to hunt me down anymore. My instinct tells me it's time to finish this on MY own terms."

"Look, this isn't a mission you should handle alone," Ironclaw told her, his face worried.

Just then, Redblaze took a step forth, making the other cats stare at him in amazement. "She won't be alone. 'Cause I'm coming with you, Owlflame."

Owlflame stared back at him in concern, not wanting him to get hurt or killed. "Redblaze, you don't have to."

"Of course I do," Redblaze murmured, stepping forth and touching noses with her. "You're my friend, and I'd do anything for you...and with you."

Hearing this made Owlflame feel better about her mission. Unknowingly to her, Emerald lowered her gaze, her eyes filled with hurt.

"I agree," Ironclaw meowed, making them look at him. "My grandfather Bearstar would respect the Avatar Cat's instinct and always did. And so will I."

**...**

The sun slowly began to rise over the horizon and over the buildings of United City as the sun rises in the horizon. Owlflame had gotten into her Equalist pelt disguise while Redblaze did the same thing with paint they had secretly taken from a market. Stonetail padded over to the latter, and both brothers embraced each other, their heads on each other's shoulders.

"Love you, little bro," Redblaze meowed.

"Love you too, big bro," Stonetail replied, hugging him back. Turning to Owlflame as they stepped back, he added, "And Owlflame, Anubis is one nasty dude. Be careful out there."

Owlflame gave him a hug and meowed, "I will. Good luck. And if you guys are going into the mountains, you should bring Nisa with you." She nuzzled her awakening dire wolf and meowed, "Take good care of Stonetail and the others for me, girl. I'm counting on you."

Nisa barked in return and licked Stonetail on the face, panting.

"Emerald." Owlflame turned to see Redblaze stepping up to Emerald, a regretful look on his face. "I'm sorry things got so messed up between us. And I know we can't be mates anymore. But no matter what happens today, I...I want you to know how much I care about you."

Emerald gave him a sad gaze, but she seemed to accept what he was going to do. So she nodded and sighed, replying, "I care about you too, Redblaze. You're a really great friend."

At this, she stepped forth and gently licked his cheek. She still had a sad expression on her face as she ran over to Nisa, Stonetail, and Ironclaw. Owlflame realized that she and Redblaze had just broken up, but there was no time to think about it now. Seeing the saddened look on the red-orange tom's face, Owlflame nudged his shoulder gently with her muzzle to reassure him. But he gently pulled away and padded off, leaving her to look on worryingly after him.

Emerald was climbing onto Nisa's back as she was seated behind Stonetail and Ironclaw, Timon on the she-wolf's neck. Both teams began to go their separate ways as Tramp and the other sewer cats came to wish them good luck.

"Good luck, gallant heroes!" Tramp called with a Twoleg-like salute. "Fortune and success for all of you!"

Once they made it to the outside of the hideout, Owlflame padded over to the water as Redblaze followed her. They stepped into the shallows, and Owlflame WaterBended a bubble of air around them. They were able to continue the trip with the bubble, surprised to see how the bay was so silent; no fish were swimming, no dolphins leaping, and even no sharks lurking. The bombing of the United Forces fleet must have scared them all into hiding.

Finally, they found rocks along the shore as the pair surfaced and Owlflame broke the bubble. Both cats clambered onto a rock away from Equalist eyes, and they put on their chi blocker pelts and masks. Owlflame was back in her orange-&-white disguise while Redblaze was now black-&-tan. And once they had their disguises on, they leapt down from the rock and made their way up towards the temple.

There were Equalists everywhere on this side of the island; they must have avoided the forest for some odd reason. Owlflame guessed they were too scared, lazy, or busy to hunt. A large black shadow forced her to look up at an Equalist airship hovering above a tower. She narrowed her blue eyes more to see Anubis being brought up to the ship by a line and boarding the ship.

"Look!" Owlflame hissed, crouching low and looking up. "There's Anubis."

The line locked back into position and the entrance was sealed up. Then the airship began to leave, but Owlflame would want to wait for him with an ambush rather than attack.

Redblaze turned to her and mewed, "We need to get into the temple right now. Then, when he returns to the island..."

Owlflame nodded back. "THEN we ambush him. And that'll be the end of it."

"What are you two doing here?"

Startled, they looked to the side as they saw the Deputy staring sternly at them. Owlflame was still amazed to see that he was missing an ear now, though he barely even noticed it.

"Uh..." Redblaze shared an awkward look with Owlflame. "...we were just transferred."

The Deputy just frowned. "Well, I have some news for you two. You're getting transferred for the second time today. Anubis wants extra security at the arena at sunhigh."

Redblaze confused. "You mean the Pro-Bending arena? For what?"

"The rally," the Deputy replied. "You should have been told about this already."

"We'll be there, sir," Owlflame told him, dipping her head to him. Once the black tom padded off, she whispered to Redblaze, "Don't worry. I know another way in."

The pair slowly and comically shuffled sideways to make sure no Equalists would even see them leaving. Owlflame led the way over to a wall within the temple, nodding towards a small secret wooden door built into the wall. She had made this hole when she went out to the Pro-Bending tournament for the second time. She lifted the door up, and they both slunk inside the hole in the wall as the door shut behind them.

They were now in the inside of one of the rooms in the tower. Noticing that there were no other cat scents in the air, the pair ascended the stairs and walked across the room, searching for a good place to wait until Anubis would return. Then they would strike!

"Let's hide in the attic," Owlflame meowed, padding over to a ladder.

Redblaze nodded, and they both climbed up to the attic. As Owlflame looked up, Redblaze (who was in the lead) looked up towards the inside of the attic.

"Um...we're not alone up here."

Owlflame leapt up into the attic to join him and looked over where he was looking. A lone gray-&-white figure was being held behind bars in the attic, an unmoving mass of fur and bones. Yet she recognized this cat as easily as the cheesy gifts he tried to bribe her with.

"Hawkfrost?"

It was indeed Hawkfrost, but he looked so different from the crooked politician who got on her nerves every day. His usually sleek fur was now completely ruffled, and his blue eyes were now dull and tired.

"I don't suppose you're here to rescue me," Hawkfrost muttered, looking up at her. His voice was a bit cracked as if he had not used it in moons.

Owlflame and Redblaze padded over to the cell as the former meowed cautiously, "We had no idea you were up here. Are there other prisoners on the island?"

The gray-&-white tom looked down. "No. I'm the only one."

"Really? And what makes you so special?" Owlflame asked, her eyes narrowing.

Hawkfrost finally lifted his gaze up to the blue-gray she-cat. "What makes me so special, as you say, is that...about Anubis...he's my brother."

Owlflame gasped and took a step back before looking around at Redblaze, shock on his face too. Hawkfrost and Anubis were brothers?! How could this be? She had heard that Hawkfrost had told everyone that Anubis was a threat to all Benders. But now...this was so messed up.

_Great StarClan, what's going on here?!_

**...**

_**Commercial Break**_

**...**

"Yes, it's true," Hawkfrost muttered, looking away. "Anubis IS my brother. Like me, he's from the Northern WaterClan. He's a WaterBender and a BloodBender just like I was."

"What?!" Owlflame and Redblaze shared a surprised look at this. Anubis was a hypocrite all along. He kept his WaterBending hidden in exchange for Equalist loyalty!

She saw Redblaze pad over to Hawkfrost and meow, "Did you know this all along?"

"No," Hawkfrost meowed. "Not until after he captured me, anyways."

Owlflame looked back at him. "How did your brother end up becoming Anubis?"

Hawkfrost gave a sigh and began his tragic tale.

"It all began with my father, Nanulak, the former ultimate crime boss of the city. With the help of his former gang members, he escaped prison and went through surgery to change his look. He donned a new identity, gray fur and blue eyes instead of black-&-gray fur and yellow eyes, and settled down in the Northern WaterClan. That's where he met my mother. She was a warm, kind, and lovely gray she-cat with blue eyes...like him. When their eyes met...it was love at first sight."

Owlflame smiled a bit at what she heard, recalling a certain memory. Moons ago, she had seen a couple pictures of Goldstar and Silverheart when they were younger (around a year old) and was amazed at how they looked together. Goldstar looked pretty young with a goofy yet caring smile on his face, and Silverheart had looked so beautiful. Not only that, but their love was so strong that they overpowered the rule against inter-Clan relationships and had three kits together.

Hawkfrost continued his story: "Before long, they started a family together. Anubis was the first born, a blue-eyed white kit named Polarkit. I was born an hour later and the runt of the litter. Polarkit was a very friendly cat, always looking out for me. When I was sick, injured, or in need of a friend, he was always there for me. Those were the good old moons...before my brother and I discovered we were WaterBenders. At first, we were excited by what we could do, but our training brought out a different side of my father.

"It all happened one night when he was training us, and I lost control of the water orb I was supposed to Bend. When I failed...our father was not the kind cat I remembered.

"'Hawkkit!' Nanulak had snarled at me one move later. 'Get that move right! And you better shape up or you'll be out here in the cold with the orcas until you get it right!'

"I tried to speak for myself, meowing, 'I-I'm trying, but...'

"But his voice made me drop the orb of water yet again: 'You better try harder! Your brother was never this slack!'

"I was so ashamed that I started to cry and sniffle. He was going to yell again when Polarkit spoke up, 'Dad, he'll get it. He just needs more time.'

"'Shut up!' Nanulak roared at him. 'Don't talk back to me, son! EVER!'

"We were shocked and hurt, but we continued what we were doing, fearful of what he would do next. Back then...Polarkit wanted everyone to be treated equally and fairly."

Owlflame and Redblaze were shocked. They had never known that Hawkfrost and Anubis had an abusive father, a father that perhaps cared more about Bending than about them. What kind of father did that make him?

"After we became apprentices, my father took me (Hawkpaw) and Polarpaw on a hunting trip. Far away from camp. We were pulling a sled and everything, and every lemming we found...we ate. Anyways, Nanulak did not even help us with pulling the sled; he made us do all the work while he scouted ahead.

"Soon enough, we set up camp in the middle of an open cave and built a fire, black smoke rising out of ...he told us his true identity was Nanulak. The most infamous crime boss in all of United City, and that he was once a BloodBender of rare skill. I was amazed at all of this, but even I had no idea what BloodBending was.

"So my first question was 'What's BloodBending, Dad?'

"'It is the most powerful and feared form of Bending in the world,' Nanulak told us. 'It was declared outlawed thanks to that damn Silverheart, the silver-pelted coward who made that impossible.'"

Owlflame felt her fur bristle in anger at this. Silverheart was no coward! How dare Nanulak talk about her like that! Her mentor was one of the bravest and gentlest cats she had ever had the pleasure to meet. In fact, she had done the city a favor by banning BloodBending.

Hawkfrost went on, saying what Nanulak told him, "'Our own family has the strongest line of BloodBender in history. You have this power inside of you, and I will teach you to master it.'

"'What happened to _your _Bending, Dad?' Polarpaw asked.

"'...the Avatar Cat did it.' I was horrified to see the scorn and hate in his eyes. 'Avatar Cat Goldstar stole it from me. That's why I brought you two out here: to learn your destiny.' Polarpaw and I were a bit scared, but Nanulak went on, 'You two shall be BloodBenders of the highest order! When the time is right, you _will_ claim United City in my name, and you _will_ destroy Goldstar until he, his mate, his spawn, and other Avatar Cats no longer walk this earth. You must avenge me, you two. That is your purpose in life.'

"That meant the good days were behind us. Every full moon, our father would take us on another supposed hunting trip where he secretly trained us how to BloodBend. We kept the truth from our mother; it would break her heart if she heard we were BloodBending.

"One night, we came across a polar bear that had recently killed a seal, its blood staining the ice it stood on. I gazed on at the massive animal in awe, but Nanulak and Polarpaw were looking at it seriously. Polarpaw made his move and stalked over towards the bear, making it turn and roar angrily at my brother just flicked his tail, and the bear was suddenly brought up to its hind legs, bellowing in fear. Polarpaw flicked his paws around, and its neck was brought back down as it had its blood Bended. I couldn't stand to see this amazing animal suffer under this kind of power, so I decided to step in.

"'Stop!' I yowled, running towards Polarpaw. 'You're hurting it! Stop!'

"But Nanulak caught up with me and spat, 'You need to learn to toughen up, Hawkpaw. You'll need a thicker pelt for this.'

"I looked back as Polarpaw released his hold on the bear and it returned to the ground on all four paws. It sank partially into the snow, abandoning its fresh-kill and running away. From over its shoulder, I saw a mother with two cubs flee when they saw this rogue male bear flee with terror in its black eyes. Like those bears, I felt the same horror; I didn't want to BloodBend anything else...not even a lemming.

"'Very good, son," Nanulak praised him, an evil gleam in his eyes. 'VERY good indeed.'

"Polarpaw looked pleased with himself, but I was still shocked. I knew how much it meant to me to please my father, but I still didn't feel comfortable around it.

"A few moons later, my father taught us to BloodBend any time without the need of the full moon. We practiced constantly, and I hated every minute of it. One time, we had to face a pack of wolves that attacked us for being in their territory. I had no stomach for manipulating other animals, not even prey...my brother, however, relished in his new power.

"I crept over to where the wolves were at, and they noticed him and growled as some began to bark. The wolves began their advance towards me, and I could barely move, scared to move due to them baring their long sharp fangs at me. But I sat on my haunches and held my tail up, and the wolves were brought to their hind legs, making helpless whining. I moved my tail and paws to the left and the right, and the wolves followed and sounded more helpless. Deep inside, I hated to see myself as this, so I let the pack go and flee.

But as the wolves began to slink away, Polarpaw stepped forth, looking focused and taking in a deep breath. The wolf pack made their escape, but they were suddenly brought to a stop and let out a whine again. They struggled hard, but they were dragged backwards, forced to stand on their hind legs as they were turned around on the spot to face him. They continued to spasm, and Polarpaw lifted them into the air with a flick of his ear as they let out helpless whines. He was amazed by this while Nanulak sneered sadistically as the wolves were slowly set back on the ground and bowed down to Polarpaw one by one.

"'That's the way it's done,' Nanulak praised my brother with a sadistic smile. Then he turned to me with a glare and growled, 'And that's what _you_ need to strive for, Hawkpaw.'

"Polarpaw was a prodigy, mastering our father's BloodBending by the time his apprenticeship was near an end. But even though he was my father's favorite, it wasn't any easier for him. He always carried the burden of all his beliefs and demands on his shoulders. Something changed in my brother over the moons we were apprentices. The kind and loving brother I once knew now became cold and distant. Our father pushed us to the most extreme limits, and then...one day...he made us BloodBend each other."

Owlflame gasped. "He DID?!" She could not believe a father would want them to do that.

Hawkfrost nodded darkly. "Oh, he did. It was during one night on yet another 'hunting trip'. Nanulak had us facing each other near the ocean, where orcas were rumored to swim. We were standing on blocks of ice, which swayed and moved in the raging water under our paws. It was also in the middle of a blizzard so that, as he said, we would not know what was to be expected.

"'Go, Polarpaw,' Nanulak told him with a flick of his ear.

"So my brother took in a deep breath, and his blue eyes expanded with concentration. Just then, I felt a pain even harsher and colder than ice pierce my insides as I started to spasm and groan in pain. I was brought down to my belly and forced to straighten up as I continued to mewl in pain, my heart feeling like it was on fire. Polarpaw's glare was more horrifying; he was looking down at me coldly and narrowing his eyes as he Bended my upper body further backwards and made me mew in agony. It was horrible."

This left Owlflame with silence filled with shock, horror, and anger. Nanulak was no father or cat; he was a monster, a bloodthirsty monster hell-bent on revenge. There would be time to rage about Nanulak later, however, as Hawkfrost continued his story.

"While this happened, our father praised Polarpaw, meowing, 'Excellent work, son. You're on your way to become a master BloodBender. And as for you,' he meowed, looking over at me as Polarpaw released me. 'It's your turn. Use your BloodBending on Polarpaw.'

"I had just regained my breath, feeling blood drip from my mouth as I gritted my teeth together hard. I did not want to become a monster...a monster like Nanulak. And I was sure that Polarpaw did not really want to be a BloodBender; our father made us like that. So there was one way to try and dissuade him.

"'No...' I panted as I wearily got to my paws. 'I won't do it.'

"'What?!' Nanulak roared in anger, glaring down at me with angry eyes. 'Have you forgotten who your loyalty should be to?! It's to me! Now I won't repeat my question! BloodBend your brother, Hawkpaw!'

"I went on, looking up at him, 'That felt awful...I don't want to do that to anyone! I never want to use BloodBending ever again!'

"But it was the wrong thing to say to him. Nanulak pounced on top of me and slashed my ear, his foul breath stinging my eyes. As I tried to wriggle away, our father roared down at me, "YOU! You disgrace, you weak bastard! I'll teach you a lesson, you unruly little...!'

"But suddenly...he let go of me and let out a cry of pain as his head was brought slightly back. I looked up in time to see Polarpaw step angrily between us and stand protectively in front of me. I had never seen him like this, but I was thankful for his help.'

'Stay away from my brother,' Polarpaw spat as he Bended Nanulak's upper body back. 'Stay the HELL away from him.'

'YOU!' Nanulak spat, blood around his muzzle after his own son slashed at him. 'How dare you BloodBend me!'

"But Polarpaw looked indifferent as he retorted, "Oh, I dare, all right. What are you gonna do about it, old cat? You're the weak one.'

"Nanulak was brought on his belly, his upper body bent backwards as he continued to yowl his curses in pain. Polarpaw went on, 'You always told us that BloodBending is the most powerful thing in the world, but it isn't. Avatar Cat Goldstar is the most powerful thing in the world, not you. He took your Bending away...what could be more powerful than that?'

"But Nanulak snarled through his spasms, 'N-No! I am more powerful! I made you what you are! You're both mine!'

"'We're your sons, Dad, not your tools of revenge. I bet you're too blind to even see that. I can't live with you anymore.' Turning to me, he meowed, 'Come on, brother. Let's get outta here. We can run away from him. Forever.'

"Despite feeling happy that my brother was willing to defend me, I was shocked. How could he expect us, two eleven-moon-old apprentices, to run away in the middle of a snowstorm? I wasn't ready to leave the camp yet, and I saw that he wasn't fully ready either.

"'Run away?' I repeated. 'But what about Mom? We can't just leave her.'

"But now, Polarpaw glared at me with the darkest look I had ever seen on his face. Then, with all the coldness of the icy arctic, he hissed, 'You know what, Hawkpaw? Dad was right about you. You ARE weak.'

"Those words sliced through my heart like claws. How could he have thought of me like this? He had been a kind cat...but Nanulak had ruined him forever. I watched on in misery as I saw my brother grab Nanulak by the throat and slam him hard to the ground, blood spraying from the wound. Nanulak did not try to fight back, for it would be too easy to fight an unconscious cat. Once he was down, Polarpaw took a step back and then turned tail and fled into the blizzard.

"'Polarpaw! Don't leave, please!' I pleaded loudly to the air. 'Polarpaw!'

"But it was too late...he had vanished. He was gone.

"My father and I searched for days, but we never found a sign of Noatak. We thought he died in that storm. When we came back, our mother thought he was gone to fetch some prey...but when he didn't...she broke down. After Polarpaw vanished, she was never the same; oh, she was still kind...but she never got a lot happy after that. And my father stopped training me and stopped eating the prey he or my mother would catch. With Polarpaw gone, his hopes for revenge died down, and so did he a few moons later."

When Hawkfrost finally finished his tale, Owlflame shared a shocked look with Redblaze. No wonder Hawkfrost had been so cruel and sly to her and her friends: Nanulak's abuse was the cause of all of this. It was Nanulak who had caused Anubis to join the Equalists. But now...this story was so unbearable. Hawkfrost and Anubis had to suffer under the cruelty of their father's paw...and it could be too late for them to redeem themselves.

"That's one of the saddest stories I've ever heard," Owlflame murmured.

"Owlflame." The blue-gray she-cat turned to look at him, regret and sorrow in his blue gaze and voice. "I am truly sorry for all I did to you. I thought I was better than my father, but the demon in him still shaped me into the cat I am today. I became a warrior of revenge...just like he wanted me to be. And so did my brother. The revolution may be built on a lie, but I think Anubis truly believes Bending is the source of all evil in the world."

"How'd you know Anubis is your brother?" Redblaze asked him.

Hawkfrost sat back down. "I found out when Anubis arrived to pick up Owlflame. When he took my Bending away, the sensation and scent were somehow familiar. I later recognized it as my brother's BloodBending grip."

"So he somehow uses BloodBending to take others' Bending," Redblaze muttered.

"I don't know how he does it," Hawkfrost muttered, shrugging. "But then again, I've never encountered a Bender as strong as Polarpaw."

Owlflame meowed, "How the hell do we even beat him?"

Redblaze sighed regretfully. "We can't. Any attack we throw at him, he'll just re-direct with his mind. That's how he can challenge any Bender."

"So much for our ambush," Owlflame muttered. "If we stay here, we're screwed and going to the fresh-kill pile...but there's another way to beat him!" She had felt an idea forming inside her mind while the story was being told.

"Really?" Redblaze asked. "How?"

Owlflame explained, "Anubis was one step ahead of us throughout his battle, but finally, we now have the advantage. We know the truth about him now. If we just expose him as a Bender in front of all his supporters..."

Redblaze's amber eyes widened with this realization. "At the rally, right?"

"Yeah! We could take away his true power!"

"And weaken this whole revolution!"

Owlflame nodded before turning her head to Hawkfrost. "Thank you...for your help." The gray-&-white cat merely gave a small nod as he looked to the side. Noticing the sad look on his face, Owlflame turned back to Redblaze and meowed, "We can't just leave him here. Hawkfrost, you have to come with us."

"No. You two go without me. Anubis can't know anyone spoke with me today." They turned to see Hawkfrost stand up and look at them; he must have heard what she said. His claws sank into the wooden floor as he hissed, "Defeat him, Owlflame. Please...put an end to this tragic tale."

Owlflame looked sadly over to the WaterClan tom, who met her gaze with a blank stare. She knew that she would be working for a former enemy, but this time, it was for a good cause. It was to help him stop Anubis...or Polarpaw for now. So she gave him a nod of determination as she turned around and clung to the ladder while Redblaze followed her.

As they climbed down silently, Owlflame replayed Hawkfrost's tragic story over and over in her mind. Now...more than ever...she wanted to get justice for the two brothers by stopping Anubis' ultimate plan. Hawkfrost would not need to worry about this anymore, and peace could perhaps come over the city once this tragedy was done.

_Please help us all, StarClan._

_**To be continued...**_

**...**

**Korra: That was a pretty intense chapter. So up next is the final episode for Book 1, right?**

**AvatarCat13: Yep. And I might include a song from the Lion King 2 on the next chapter. It might be either We Are One or Love Will Find A Way. Which one do you like better?**

**Korra: I like the song We Are One better. It kinda reminds me of Aang and all the other former Avatars. So can I say the review thing and the preview for Endgame?**

**AvatarCat13: Go ahead.**

**Korra: Thanks! (To the readers) Make sure you don't forget to read and review this here chapter, folks. We do not allow flames on here, but we DO allow advice and constructive criticism as long as it's not harsh. And I'll douse the flames with WaterBending.**

**Preview: The time to uncover Anubis for who he really is has arrived. But will Owlflame succeed without Anubis outsmarting them this time? And how will Stonetail, Emerald, and Ironclaw handle the final battle for United City? The ultimate showdown of good and evil has arrived at last.**

**Both: See ya next time!**


	13. Endgame

**AvatarCat13: This is it.**

**Korra: Yep. The end of Avatar Cat 2 Book 1.**

**AvatarCat13: I remember seeing this episode back at my dad's place. You were so epic when you went into the Avatar State.**

**Korra: (Blushes) Oh, come on. You've seen other Avatars in the Avatar State in the series.**

**AvatarCat13: Yeah, I know. But what's coming up is what makes you so epic. So...would you like to say the disclaimer? It's your chapter.**

**Korra: Sure.**

**Disclaimer: He owns neither series. Bryke and Erin Hunter do. And the song We Are One belongs to The Lion King 2, which belongs to Disney.  
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**Summary: ****The time to uncover Anubis for who he really is has arrived. But will Owlflame succeed without Anubis outsmarting them this time? And how will Stonetail, Emerald, and Ironclaw handle the final battle for United City? The ultimate showdown of good and evil has arrived at last.**

**Uploading Date: January 26, 2013**

**Enjoy!**

**...**

_**Endgame**_

It was soon time for the fight to begin. Stonetail, Emerald, Ironclaw, and Timon were riding on Nisa in the mountains outside United City while Equalist airplanes zoomed over their heads. But Emerald felt so uncomfortable about it; she knew she would have to fight her father, but it would be so hard to do so. Nevertheless, unless her father, Anubis, and the Equalists were taken down, then peace would never come to United City.

The cats stopped at a cliff overlooking the secret Equalist airfield. They leapt down from Nisa and began making their way over towards there, using the scents of the nearby forest. Ironclaw had said earlier that by rolling in mud or leaves, their scent could be disguised.

"I think we found our secret airfield," the light gray tabby tom meowed. "Stonetail, once we get down there, tear up those runways. We can't let those aircraft take off."

"Aye aye, Captain!" Stonetail cheered. Noticing Ironclaw raising a brow at him, he added, "Oh, sorry, Sir. And you guys wait here until we get back. Okay?" he told Timon and Nisa. The wolf tried to follow him, but he turned around, meowing, "Uh uh. Stay."

Nisa sat down and stared after the leaving cats, panting with her tongue hanging out. Timon gave a squeak before walking over to under her, watching from behind her legs. After they left both non-cat animals behind, the cats padded towards what they believed were fence posts with no fence wires.

"Wait...why would there be fence posts but no fence?" Emerald wondered, sniffing around.

But then...she felt a small jolt on her muzzle as her whiskers brushed against something that felt like thread. Just as she stumbled forth, she fell into some kind of invisible electric fence, yowling with shock and pain before falling to the ground. Stonetail and Ironclaw must have too fallen into the same trap, for they yowled in shock before falling down. Emerald could not move her legs to get up, for the shock had taken effect on them.

And before she could lift her head up, she drifted off into unconsciousness.

**...**

Recalling what the Deputy told them, Owlflame and Redblaze went over to the Pro-Bending arena where Anubis was having another rally. Huge tanks that looked like robotic tigers were guarding the front doors of the arena, and when they got there, they were amazed to see an even larger crowd awaiting the rally. While still in Equalist disguise, they went up into the referee's box, waiting for Anubis to appear.

They knew what their job was: to expose Anubis for who he really was. They nodded at each other, and soon enough, Anubis padded out onto the stage while the crowd cheered him on.

"Thank you all for joining me on this historic occasion," the white tom was meowing. "When I was a kitten, a FireBender killed my family and left me with my face scarred beyond repair. That heartbreaking event began my quest to equalize the Clans and the rest of the world."

"You're lying, Anubis," Owlflame called, standing up with Redblaze. It was time for the truth to come out. "Or should I call you...Polarpaw?"

At this, the crowd gave her confused looks while the Deputy hissed into Anubis' ear, "You want me to take her out?"

Anubis replied "No" and shook his head. He turned back to the crowd and called, "Every non-Bender in the arena calm down. We have nothing to fear from the Avatar Cat. But let's hear what she has to say first."

Owlflame cleared her throat and called, "Cats of United City! Anubis has been lying to you all. StarClan didn't give him the power to take Bending away; he uses BloodBending to do it. Anubis is a WaterBender!"

"What is this nonsense?" the Deputy spat, his lips peeled back to reveal his long yellow fangs.

"You're so desperate recently, Avatar Cat," Anubis merely snorted with disdain. "Making up stories about me is a pathetic last-ditch effort if you ask me."

"Your family wasn't killed by a rogue FireBender," Owlflame retorted. Turning back to the other cats, she yowled, "He came from the Northern WaterClan. His father was the former crime boss Nanulak, and his brother is Hawkfrost of the United City Council! He HAS been lying to you all!"

There were gasps all around the arena, and muttering came all around. Anubis looked calm about it all and replied, "An amusing tale, I admit. But...why not? I will show you the truth."

_So he's gonna do it after all, _Owlflame thought, feeling her body tense up. _Let's see it then._

She looked back down as Anubis started to take off his mask and reveal his true self slowly. Next to Owlflame, Redblaze was bristling with the suspension leading to this moment. She felt the same thing, ready for the truth to be revealed at last...but when she looked back down, she gasped. Anubis was revealed to have a very bad burn scar across his entire face.

Owlflame recoiled; this scar was even worse than Bearstar's signature scar, a mark his own father had given him. The whole crowd was in deep shock and disgust, and she almost went with them...but it couldn't be. Anubis couldn't have had gotten this scar during his self-exile.

"You see?" the Equalist leader called to her. "This is what a FireBender did to me."

Owlflame stammered, "What?! I-I'm telling you the truth! He's a WaterBender!" But when the cats looked away from her, she turned back to Redblaze. "They don't believe me. It didn't work."

"We said what we had to do, and we did it," Redblaze meowed. "Now let's get out of here."

But just as the two cats turned around, they suddenly found themselves blocked by chi-blockers. Owlflame was startled now, not knowing how this happened. Wasn't Anubis going to let them go for now? But she stopped trying to resist when his voice rang out through the arena.

"I wouldn't leave yet if I were you, Avatar Cat. You'll miss the main event." To nowhere, he called, "Bring up the prisoners."

A trapdoor opened in the stage, and two cages were brought up. One big and one small. But what was inside the cage shocked Owlflame down to the bone.

Sunstar and his three kits were inside, the kits' eyes wide with fear and their pelts bristling. The AirClan leader's mane was spiky all over until he looked like the sun, and he was facing them all with determination. What was even worse was that their legs and tail were chained to the bars of the cage; there was even a nasty tear on one of Foxkit's ears.

"No...it can't be...they got away," Owlflame rasped in horror. "We saw them get away!"

But no matter what, she could not deny it. Somehow...in some way...the Equalists had captured Sunstar and his family. She didn't see Dawnfall and her new litter among the prisoners, so they were either killed or still held as prisoners. The former idea...it was too harsh to even think about.

_Has Shard's sacrifice been for nothing?!_

**...**

The first thing Emerald saw when she woke up were metal bars in front of her, and ropes were tying her paws together. Wherever she, Stonetail, and Ironclaw were taken to, they were now prisoners. The calico-&-white she-cat looked around to see Stonetail wake up and lick his paw and Ironclaw wake up and look around. Emerald sat up the best she could and sniffed the air, recognizing the smell; her father was here.

And there he was. Romulus was prowling forth, a mix of triumph and supposed fatherly love on his face. Emerald did not feel anything but disappointment and anger towards him. He had now assisted Anubis in all of this, and for what? Revenge for his dead mate? No matter what, she knew that her mother could not come back to life.

"Emerald...I know I have hurt you, and I am sorry," the ginger tom meowed. "But I believe that one day, you will come to your senses, and we can be a family again."

_Yeah, and hedgehogs will fly. _Emerald limped up to the bars and confronted her father. "Are you insane? How can we be a family after everything you've done? Mom would hate you for what you've become."

Hearing this, Romulus' face turned angry as he spat, "How dare you?! I am avenging her death!"

"By what? Destroying Bending?" Emerald retorted. "No, it's going to divide the Benders and non-Benders even further apart. I've hung out with Bending Clan cats for nearly a moon, and they're an example that not every Bender is bad. Or are you too blind to see that?"

Romulus looked like he was going to spit at her when a brown-furred Equalist padded forth, meowing, "Sir, the airplanes are ready for takeoff."

"Good. Crush the fleet." When Stonetail and Ironclaw gasped, Romulus smirked at them, jeering in Ironclaw's direction, "That's right, General. I seized your message to Commander Rockfall. I now know exactly where they're hiding. Prepare to say good-bye to all hope you have left."

And with that, he padded off.

Once her father was gone, Emerald turned to the toms. "How do we get out of here?"

Ironclaw shrugged and meowed to Stonetail, "Do you know how to MetalBend?"

"Negative, sir," the tabby meowed, giving a silly salute. So Ironclaw gave an annoyed sigh.

They had nothing much to do for a few more minutes until something happened. The three cats could hear an airplane's ignition turning on, which told Emerald that they were ready for liftoff. And almost immediately, they saw Nisa tearing down doors to get in to rescue them, Timon on her saddle. The meerkat leapt down beside the wolf, running over to them and squeaking.

"Nisa! Over here, girl!" Timon squeezed his way into the cell and ran over to the cats, chewing off the ropes that held onto them while Nisa demolished the prison cell to free them. This made Stonetail cheer, "Who needs a MetalBender when we got Nisa! Yeah!"

Once they were free, the three cats, wolf, and meerkat ran out tothe main part of the airfield. A few planes were already taking off, but Emerald knew that one of them could try and stall them while they destroyed the area.

"I'm going after those planes," Ironclaw meowed, running off. "You two stay here and fend off any ground attackers."

Nisa gave a bark and grabbed Stonetail by the scruff. The stumpy-tailed tabby let out a yowl of "No, Nisa! I'm not ready yet!", but the she-wolf didn't listen. She swung her head around and tossed him onto her saddle, her tail wagging for action.

**(Author's Note: The following tanks coming up will resemble those Zoids or whatever I liked when I was young.)**

Emerald spotted some other machines her father had created in addition to the mecha-tanks: feline tanks. She had seen these kinds of tanks before when she was a kit, when her mother had brought her to her father's workshop when she was a kit. Now she could try and use her father's machines against the Equalists, she reasoned as she padded up to the nearest one: a green feline tank. Recalling what to do to get inside there, she got onto a little elevator that took her up to the control room.

"Well, what do you know?" she remarked. "It's just like a Future Productions forklift."

She watched as Ironclaw chased after an airplane, amazed at how fast he was despite his size. He then used some FireBending to fire himself to the cockpit of the plane, grabbed the pilot by the throat, and tossed him overboard as he took over the plane. He seemed to struggle a bit on flying, but eventually, he managed to get the hang of it.

**...**

"Yes, you heard me all, comrades," Anubis called, his head held high as his black mask glinted in the spotlight. "Tonight, I rid the world of AirBending...forever. There shall be no more of this AirBending, and the Avatar Cat cycle shall come to an end."

Unable to believe her ears, Owlflame roared, "Anubis, you're going to far this time! You better let them go right now!"

Anubis shrugged. "You're welcome to come and try to stop me any time. Feel free to do it."

Owlflame let out a snarl and began to leap onto the railing, itching for a fight and recue. But just before she could leap down, Redblaze grabbed her tail and pulled her back, hissing, "No, don't. I know we should do something, but he's just trying to bait you."

"I don't care!" Owlflame spat, whirling on him. "Sunstar is my AirBending mentor, and he's helped me with AirBending since day one! And his kits...they're like my younger siblings! That's why I say we have to save them!"

Anubis had turned back to the crowd and announced, "The Avatar Cat needs to be reminded of the power I possess. I shall start by taking away these cats' AirBending for good."

But suddenly, Anubis was cut short by Redblaze sending a bolt of lightning from his claws at the stage to stop him. The two Benders then started racing towards the stage by wall running. As the two battled a couple of Equalists on stage, the whole crowd ran out of the arena in fear of seeing any Bending. Owlflame rushed over to the AirBenders and came to a stop in front of her mentor.

"It's so good to see you again, Owlflame," Sunstar meowed with relief.

Owlflame nodded. "You too. But where are Dawnfall, Crowkit, and Goldkit?"

"In one of the prisons here."

"And Shard? Where's she at?"

Sunstar gave a sad shrug. "I don't know. But we WILL all get out of here. I promise."

With all her strength, Owlflame pulled the bars apart, letting the golden tom squirm out and shake his pelt once he was free. Sunstar have a loud yowl and launched himself at Anubis, his paw swatting towards his face. Once he was distracting the Equalist leader, Owlflame rushed over to the kits' cage and did the same thing to free them.

"Come on, kits," she told them as they got out. "Follow me outta here."

The kits nodded, and Owlflame led the way out of the arena and into a hallway. For the first time, she did not see Toube in there; it appeared that he had moved away from the Pro-Bending arena too. Pawsteps behind her made her turn to see Sunstar running over to her, a long bloody scratch on one of his forelegs.

She waited until he stopped in front of her before meowing, "Get Dawnfall and her new litter and get them all outta here. We'll distract them all."

"Very well," Sunstar meowed, giving her a lick on the ear for good luck. To the kits, he told them, "Let's go, kits. We need to get your mother and your brothers."

"Yay!" Foxkit squealed, bouncing around. "Prison break!"

Owlflame spun around and ran off, meeting up with Redblaze in another hallway. As they made a run for it, hoping to push Anubis back, Owlflame tried to set the hallways on fire so it would be harder for him to catch them. They arrived in a storage room and hid among the boxes in there, hoping to not come across the Equalist leader in here. Silence came over the room as Owlflame hid under a table, licking cautiously at a wound on her paw.

She froze when she heard pawsteps and saw Anubis' white paws pass her. Once he was gone, she gave a little sigh of relief. However, all that ended when she felt the same pain she felt when Hawkfrost had BloodBended her and realized that Anubis had somehow found her. Owlflame tried to wriggle away, but his dark power was too much for her.

"Let her go!" Redblaze roared, pouncing out of his hiding spot and swiping his flaming claws at Anubis.

The white tom dodged all of his strikes and flicked his tail around. Redblaze grunted in pain as he was BloodBended, gritting his teeth and trying to get at him. With another flick of his tail, he slammed both warriors down to the ground and held it up while pinning Owlflame down with both paws, preparing for another something else. Horror made her gasp at what he was going to do: he was going to de-Bend her.

"No!"

"Owlflame!"

But it was too late. Anubis had grabbed Owlflame by the head with his jaws and sank his claws into her face, making her wince. Once he did so, she saw a vision through her horror-filled eyes: three cats with colors of blue, green, and red leave her body. With terror, she saw that Anubis had finally taken her Bending away, the thing he promised he would do the first time they fought each other.

"See?" Anubis hissed once he let go of her. "I told you I would destroy you in the end."

Owlflame dropped to the ground, unable to move as she saw her own blood pool around her. She was powerless now. Anubis had won.

**...**

_**Commercial Break**_

**...**

Five Equalist airplanes were flying towards United City like a pack of dogs. Ironclaw still did not understand a lot about planes due to mainly land fighting, but this could be a new thing to try out. And sometime, he could share this kind of information with Rockfall.

_Let's see what this thing can do!_

So Ironclaw followed behind with the same airplane he took earlier and shot lightning from his tail at one airplane from the cockpit. The airplane he damaged with lightning crashed into two other airplanes, leaving the other two unharmed. One of the unharmed pilots shot out a wire from behind his plane, and it got caught in the propeller of the plane Ironclaw was controlling, stalling it. This forced him to abandon the plane and use his FireBending to fly himself to another plane to nick. As he swiped the pilot out of the cockpit with a vicious swipe, a bomb fell on the tail of the recently-hijacked plane and had no control of it.

The last Equalist airplane that had yet to be taken dropped a few bombs from above him. Luckily enough, Ironclaw shot a few fireballs and blew up the bombs causing the airplane to blow up. But little did he know that his plane was on a crash course to the statue of Avatar Cat Goldstar (specifically towards the face). Yet when he saw this coming, he knew what to do to confuse and bring the Equalists into chaos.

Right at the last second, he managed to bail out and grab hold of the Equalist flag as it tore apart. The large mask fell off and surprisingly left the statue undamaged. He dropped down to the raised paw of the statue on the rock, licking at the blood of the wound on his foreleg. Now the paradise Goldstar and his grandfather Bearstar could be saved.

"Thank you for looking out for me, Goldstar," Ironclaw purred weakly, smiling up at the statue's face. "StarClan has been lucky to have had an Avatar Cat like you..."

**...**

With a smash from a giant paw, Emerald used the feline tank to swipe at the face of the next mecha-tank. She leapt from one mecha-tank to the other, destroying all the technology of the Equalist airfield the best she could. Not too far away, Stonetail was still damaging the runways. A few mecha-tanks tried to lasso him up, but Nisa jumped into action, grabbed the wires in her jaws, and threw them to the side. One tank was kit-lengths away from hitting him, but she did the same trick against that one.

"Whoa! Thanks, Nisa!" Stonetail yowled.

Once this was done, Emerald ran over to the inside, preparing to destroy airplanes in the hangar. And once she was inside, she began the sweet destruction as she swiped at the wings of the planes with her feline tank. But she was just obliterating her fourth airplane when she heard an unpleasantly unfamiliar voice.

"Emerald!" Emerald turned her tank around at the sound of her father's voice. Romulus was visible in the green windows that were the orange tank's eyes as he spat, "What do you think you're doing?! You're supporting the very cats who took your mother away from us! Have you no love for our cause?!"

She was angry at the hate in her father's voice. "_You_ don't feel love for Mom anymore, you son of a bitch. You're too filled with hatred and blind to the real truth!"

Emerald saw her father's eyes widen with shock...and then it turned to pure rage. With a voice very much unlike his own, he roared, "You ungrateful impudent child! I'll teach you a lesson for being a traitor!"

At this, he let out a terrible roar and sprang at Emerald, his green eyes alive with hate. Knowing that it had come down to this, Emerald met her father head-on and slashed at his tank's head with her tank's paw. The claws struck against the window eyes of his tank, forcing him to keel back, but he glared at her as if she was a piece of crowfood. Romulus let out another screech and leapt at her again, this time catching her tank's head with his tank's paws and slamming it to the floor. Emerald grunted in pain, but his tank was already upon her, and she tried to get back up only to slip on an oil slick and fall to her side.

"I now see there is no chance to save you!" Romulus snarled as his feline tank pinned hers down. "I have tried to find a way for you to join me and the Equalists, but it's too late now! Say hello to that pitiful StarClan for me!"

Emerald tried to wrestle away from him in the feline tank, but the windshield had broken, and a shard fell to her face. It reopened the wound her father had given her, forcing her to try and blink the blood away from her eyes. No matter how hard she tried to wrestle away from him, his tank's weight kept her where she was in his mercy.

_Get it over with, _she found herself thinking. _Just keep the others safe..._

"MR. SATO!"

Emerald looked up in time to see Stonetail chucking boulders at Romulus while riding on Nisa. With each toss, he yowled, "You! Are! A! Terrible! Father!"

Thankful that Stonetail saved her, Emerald regained strength and dug her tank's hind legs into Romulus' tank's belly. The latter tank fell down to the ground, and Emerald got up and tore open its belly and face, oil leaking out around it. She then took a long look at her father, not sure what to do with him; she hated him now after what he had done, but she didn't want to kill him.

All of a sudden, Romulus tried to counter and flee, but she pinned him down easily. It was like when he pinned her down...only she was in control now.

"Stonetail's right," she rasped, feeling the tears roll down her cheeks as she looked down at him. "You ARE a terrible father."

She then released a shock rope at her father and wrapped it around him. He would be sent over to prison to think over what he had done...and maybe he could change his ways.

**...**

"Finally...you are powerless," Anubis meowed, stepping back.

With a snarl, Owlflame got to her paws, slipping a bit on the pool of blood beneath her. She swiped a weak paw at him, but no fire came out of there this time. Her Bending was actually gone...gone by the cat she had promised to defeat.

"Anubis!"

Owlflame looked up weakly to see the Deputy staring at them in shock and anger. He had just removed his goggles, revealing furious green eyes, and smashed them to the ground.

The black tom went on, "Everything the Avatar Cat said is true! I just saw you BloodBend her and her friend!" When Anubis did not answer, he snarled, "You traitor! Turncoat! I dedicated my entire life to you! And for what?! Only lies!"

He let out a yowl and launched himself at Anubis, his fangs bared and his eyes alive with fury. But Anubis leapt forth too and grabbed the Deputy's throat with his jaws, keeping him from moving any further. Once the Deputy was held in place, the Equalist leader threw him against a glass wall with all his might, the glass shattering all over the place. The black tom did not get up after the crash.

"You have served me well, Deputy," Anubis meowed with no emotion. "Now...you have outlived your usefulness."

Then he looked at Redblaze, who was still struggling from the BloodBending spell as he saw Anubis prowl towards Owlflame. Right on time, he managed to shoot a flash of lightning at him, forcing him to jump to the side. The ginger tom raced over to Owlflame's side, grabbed her very gently by the scruff, and began to haul her away.

"R-Redblaze..." Owlflame groaned as she tried to get to her paws. "...my Bending...i-it's gone..."

Redblaze looked down at her and meowed through a mouthful of fur, "Don't worry, Owlflame! Everything'll be all right! We just need to get outta here!"

But then he let out a grunt of pain as he released Owlflame as she fell to the floor. When she looked up, Anubis was prowling towards them, his tail held up as he put Redblaze under the BloodBending spell once again. She could not find the strength to charge at him and attack, for her Bending was gone; there was nothing she could do.

"I'm impressed," Anubis chuckled darkly, positioning Redblaze to take his Bending or worse. "No one has ever gotten the better of me like that before. It is a shame to take the Bending of someone so talented. Well...almost."

"No!"

Owlflame finally got to her paws and leapt at Anubis, enraged that he was going to kill Redblaze or take away his Bending. And before she knew it, she was spinning around in circles and struck Anubis, her fangs sinking into his shoulder. The white tom let out a snarl of rage before he was tossed away from her, so she gave all of her might to Bend at Anubis for the last time and finally shot a blast of air from her claws, knocking both toms down.

"I-Impossible!" Anubis hissed, the red eyes on his mask widening.

Owlflame slowly picked herself up, panting and unable to believe what she just did. She had just used the Zetsu Tenrou Battouga, the attack Goldstar had used against Nanulak. But what was even more amazing was this: she had just AirBended. She had actually Bended an element she had struggled all her life to learn. Now, thanks to having the other Bending arts taken away, she could now do it.

"I-I can AirBend?" she rasped, staring down at her claws. "I can AirBend!"

With confidence, she started blasting air at Anubis from her claws. Anubis let out a hiss and tried to BloodBend her, but Owlflame counterattacked this and gave the white tom one final blow, snarling, "Oh no...you...don't!"

With a final blast, she blasted Anubis out of a window from the Arena and into the sea. A close look told Owlflame that his mask had fallen off of his face while she and Redblaze dashed over to the window. A crowd of cats outside gasped and rushed to see what happened; these were all the non-Benders who had come over to Anubis' rally.

"Did you see what happened?!" a tom was yowling. "Who was that?!"

"It's the Avatar Cat!" the ginger tabby protester from earlier screeched in rage. "She killed Anubis! She's an evil murderer!"

Just then, an explosion of water erupted just behind the cats, and Owlflame saw them turn on the spot. Everyone gasped at the white tom who had surfaced from the water,gasping for air on a whirlpool of he landed in front of the Pro-Bending arena building, surprising a lot of the onlookers that attended the Equalist gathering.

"He's WaterBending?!"

"So he IS a Bender!"

"The scar's fake, all right!"

"The Avatar Cat was right!"

Anubis looked around at everyone, the black mask gone and replaced by a face streaked with faded red paint and wide blue eyes. Owlflame knew that by revealing this, he was no longer the evil leader known as Anubis; now he was just Polarpaw...clumsier than WaterClan, weaker than EarthClan, and more powerless than FireClan. She saw Polarpaw look up at her and immediately made a run for it (or perhaps a swim for it).

Redblaze leapt down to the ground and ran forth to stop him, but Polarpaw swam too fast for him to catch up. Owlflame leapt down weakly beside him (tired from the Battouga) and looked at the ginger tom. In return, Redblaze turned to her and pressed his side to hers, their whiskers now brushing against each other. Anubis had gotten away, but he had no more power...and neither did she thanks to him.

Meanwhile, in the bay, Polarpaw finally pulled himself out of the bay and onto the rock, shaking the water out of his fur. He realized that all of his followers and the entire Revolution were gone forever...but he didn't care. He didn't care about fulfilling Nanulak's bloodthirsty wish to be the best BloodBender anymore. All that mattered now was his brother...and the life they could live together...as brothers on the run.

So far, on AirClan Island, it was empty. Polarpaw made it to the temple where Hawkfrost was held at and found the spot where the attic was. The former WaterClan apprentice climbed up the ladder and into the small dark attic, where Hawkfrost looked up at him. Shock filled his blue gaze before being replaced by joy. Emotions filled his heart when he heard the same name he had when he was a kit.

"Polarpaw..."

"It's over, brother," Polarpaw panted, standing up until his forepaws pressed against the bars. "I'm sorry for what I did to you."

Hawkfrost nodded. "All is forgiven. Our father was the one who set us on this path. Fate caused us to collide once again. I should have left with you when we were apprentices."

Polarpaw used the keys to unlock the cage. "You can leave with me now. We can have a second chance and start over together. Please, Hawkfrost...you're all I have left in the world."

**...**

They made it back to the docks of AirClan Island, where Owlflame and Redblaze were reunited with the whole gang. Shard, Sunstar, Dawnfall and her new litter, and the AirBending kits were there to see them again. Once there, Owlflame told them everything about how Anubis had his reputation ruined...but not before taking her Bending away.

"I'm so sorry," Shard rasped, her green eyes clouded with grief. "I can't believe that bastard got you too."

Stonetail gave her a big grin. "Hey, at least you unlocked your AirBending, right?"

Redblaze gave him a stern look. "Bro...now's not the time."

"Right," the tabby tom meowed, stepping back awkwardly. "I'll just stand over here. Quietly. In silence. In non-talking silence."

They could see a ship arriving from a distance, but Owlflame didn't want to look at it. Sunstar padded up to her and nudged her shoulder with his muzzle, meowing, "You should be proud of yourself, Owlflame. You saved United City."

"But Anubis got away," Owlflame muttered, sighing. Then she added quietly to herself, _And it's all because I lost my Bending._

Sunstar scanned her with sympathetic gray eyes as he gently laid his tail on her flank. The other cats padded over to her and gave their reassurances, but she could not be cheered up. Instead, she wanted to go back home and let Silverheart see if she could get her Bending back. Owlflame looked over to the bay to see that the ship from before was starting to get closer.

Plumkit also saw the boat, for she cheered, "Yay! Uncle Rockfall's here!"

"Waaaaaaahoooooooooo!"

Owlflame looked around in time to see the ship perfectly stopping at the docks. On the top of the ship was a cat she supposed was Rockfall. He looked nothing like Goldstar or Silverheart, for his fur was brown tabby, and his eyes were orange-amber instead of dark gray or blue. But he did have Goldstar's slim body and Silverheart's pelt length. And the way he was prancing around, he appeared to be dancing to some kind of tune in his head.

With a cheer, he was chanting, "Whoo! My paws are burnin', baby, they are _burnin'!_ I gotta tiptoe! _Tippytoe, tippytoe, tip-toe, _YEAH!"

Sunstar sighed. "Perfect. Now I have to entertain my brother."

**...**

The sea air smelled so salty...and bitter due to all that happened all those moons ago. Hawkfrost looked away from the disappearing city back at his brother, who was looking around at the sea. Anubis...no, Polarpaw...had been so excited on starting a new life away from United City. This was why they were riding on a boat and sailing off at a distance.

"The two of us, together again," Polarpaw sighed, breathing in the leaf-fall salty air. "There's nothing we can't do!"

Hawkfrost slightly nodded. "Yes...I know, Polarpaw."

Hearing this, the white tom gave a delighted chuckle. "Polarpaw...I almost forgot the sound of my own name. It's amazing! And I can't wait to start my life over again!"

But Hawkfrost did not reply. Instead, he stared down at a pair of Equalist shock gloves and put one on. He knew what he had to do now; Nanulak's influence could not continue on if they were to live. They had become his reluctant tools of revenge, and as the gray-&-white tom removed the fuel tank cap of the boat and hovered the glove over the fuel tank, he knew he could not turn back.

_It has to be done._

"It will be just like the good old days," Hawkfrost mumbled.

From the corner of his eye, he saw a tear slide down Polarpaw's cheek and realized that he too had accepted this fate. Hawkfrost nodded slightly and took a deep breath before firing a blast of electricity into the fuel tank.

He felt the wind blast at his face and fire consume him as the explosion occurred. Gas, fire, and blood were everywhere while Hawkfrost and Polarpaw landed side-by-side in the sea water. As they felt themselves start to go underwater, Hawkfrost thought back to when he and his brother were pushed too hard by Nanulak and brought up to carry on his evil legacy. Their father was perhaps in the Dark Forest, where he would be plotting his revenge.

_StarClan... _He could see the sharks coming out to feast on their bodies. _We are free at last. Please, mighty StarClan...please forgive us._

**...**

_**Commercial Break**_

**...**

Owlflame closed her eyes as she felt Silverheart's forepaw gently wave over her face before looking back up. The old silver tabby was looking down at her with sad and concerned dark blue eyes before padding away to the waiting room. To hear what she was going to say, Owlflame sat up and stared after her mentor. She knew her parents had come to check on their daughter, but even though she wished to tell them she was fine...she felt terrible.

It had been two days since she had returned to the Order of the Phoenix training grounds in the Southern WaterClan. Her friends, Sunstar, his family, and Shard had went with her to see if she could get her Bending back. Owlflame knew that Bending was important to an Avatar Cat, and without it, an Avatar Cat was nothing and couldn't connect with StarClan. Yet...she had finally mastered AirBending even after her other Bending was removed from her. Was she really a true Avatar Cat?

"I've tried everything in my power, but...I cannot restore her Bending," Silverheart told them with a sigh.

Shard's green eyes were filled with concern. "But...Silverheart, you're the best healer in the world! You have to keep trying!"

Silverheart looked calmly back at the brown she-cat. "I'm sorry, but there's nothing else I can do now. Owlflame can still AirBend, yes, but her connection to the other elements has been severed. I'm afraid the young'un can only AirBend now."

Owlflame felt like her legs were made of moss as she stood up and limped over to her mentor's side. She looked up at her parents, their eyes filled with love and worry, her friends were trying to give her comforting smiles but failing, and Sunstar padded up to her. Now she wished she had not been so thoughtless in trying to come over to United City.

"Don't worry," Sunstar murmured, trying to give her a hug. "It's going to be all right."

"No," Owlflame muttered, pulling away. "No it's not."

Ignoring the sympathy on the others' faces, she left the building passing Redblaze and Stonetail. Redblaze had opened his mouth as if to say something before sighing and looking the other way. Owlflame had just reached outside when she heard a familiar voice call to her.

"Owlflame! Wait a moment!"

She paused to glare at Redblaze, who was following her. "Go away."

Redblaze replied, "I will, but I just want you to know that...I'm here for you."

"No, I mean go away," Owlflame hissed. "Back to United City. Get on with your life. Like the time I hadn't been there."

"What?" Redblaze's amber eyes were swimming with confusion. "Owlflame, what the hell are you meowing about?"

Owlflame began walking again as she meowed, "I don't have my Bending besides AirBending, so I'm not the Avatar Cat anymore. You don't need to do me any favors."

Redblaze leapt in front of her to block her path as he meowed, "Look, I don't care if you're the Avatar Cat or not. When you were kidnapped by Hawkfrost, I was losing my mind at the thought of never seeing you again. I realized how much I care for you..." He padded forth and rubbed his cheek against hers. "Owlflame...I love you."

Those words wrenched hard at Owlflame's heart, and she forced the tears back to prevent them from leaking. But she could not be one with Redblaze if she did not have Bending like him. Plus, he had his own life to live now.

"I can't...Redblaze, I can't!"

At this, she ran off into the blizzard with Nisa, ignoring Redblaze calling back to her. Owlflame wanted to ignore the world all together and held back the tears that threatened to flow out. And before she disappeared, she heard Redblaze call out to her once again.

"Owlflame!"

"Let her go," Sunstar was telling him. "We just need to be patient with her. It will take time for her to accept what has happened."

Once she was quite a while away from Silverheart's healing den, Owlflame stopped by the edge of a cliff and looked out to the horizon. Her life was over...her life as the Avatar Cat was over. She knew she would have to start over...but the road had already been so hard, and what would the Order of the Phoenix say if they found out?

Standing on the cliff, Owlflame felt the tears fall down as she let out her sorrow at last. She laid down on her belly on the cliff and sobbed her heart out, looking down towards the ocean. There was no other way out of this sorrow now...she would have to end it here. That way, she would not have to deal with all the pressure once again.

_That would have to be...wait... _She lifted her head a bit, sniffling. _That would be bad...thinking of suicide when I have friends and family. _She covered her eyes with her paws and continued crying, lamenting, _Oh StarClan, what am I gonna do?_

AirClan scent filled her nose as she lifted her head a bit once again. Sunstar must have come out to comfort her, but she didn't want any comfort now.

"Go away, Sunstar," she choked through the tears. "I just want to be left alone."

"But you called me here."

The softer voice and ancient scent sounded and smelled so unfamiliar that Owlflame felt her sadness wash away. Preparing herself for what she was going to see, she sat up, spun around on the spot...and found herself looking at a golden cat. His eyes were darker gray, he had no mane, and he had a lighter build than Sunstar. Recalling a flashback she had seen days ago, she realized who this was.

"G-Goldstar?" What was the former Avatar Cat doing here?

_Even those who are gone_

_Are with us as we go on_

_Your journey has only begun_

The golden tom nodded, a smile on his face. "Well done, Owlflame. You have finally connected with your spiritual side."

Owlflame tilted her head to one side. "How? I got my Bending taken away!"

"When we hit our lowest point, we are open to the greatest change," Goldstar explained. He took a step forth and pressed his muzzle to her forehead, continuing, "A long time before I died, I had discovered a new side of EnergyBending. It takes away Bending, that's true...but when you use it for a friend...you can give it back. This is StarClan's gift to you. Use it well."

Cat suddenly began to appear around the two cats, all the Avatar Cats including Whitestorm of FireClan, Heavyrose of EarthClan, Stormfrost of WaterClan, and Birdwing of AirClan. Once Owlflame felt Goldstar's nose press against her forehead, she felt as if a breathing and living fire was surging out of her and spreading out to the world. She looked up to see Goldstar nod with a smile before he and all of the Avatar Cats disappear.

_This is StarClan's gift to you... _Owlflame closed her eyes and replayed the words Goldstar told her before seeing what he meant. _You mean...I can use the Avatar Cat State!_

Feeling all the power of StarClan in her paws, Owlflame felt the air around her pick up as she was lifted slightly into the sky, the arctic air becoming warm. She opened her eyes and saw all four elements flying before her eyes as she felt all the spirits of the past Avatar Cats within her. Owlflame swiped her paw towards the ocean, creating a large wave, Bended a large pile of earth from under her, unleashed a bright flame and whirled it around her, and sent a huge gale of air towards the horizon. She had done it at last. She could use the Avatar Cat State now.

When she landed on the ground and let the glowing fade away, she turned around and spotted Redblaze gazing on in awe before giving her a joyful smile; he seemed to have seen the entire thing. Owlflame realized now how much he loved her, so she ran forth and buried her muzzle into his neck fur, relishing in his scent and the smoothness of his pelt. He did the same thing as they stood in the snow while the sun had begun to start shining through the gray clouds.

"I love you too, Redblaze," she murmured, leaning up to brush her muzzle against his.

_Tears of pain, tears of joy_

_One thing nothing can destroy_

_Is our pride, deep inside_

_We are one_

**...**

_We are one, you and I_

_We are like the earth and sky_

_One family under the sun_

Knowing what she had to do, Owlflame invited everyone over to the nearest Avatar Cat temple in the open arctic tundra. The sun was shining down on the endless expanse of ice and snow, and every cat in the Clan (with her friends and allies) had gathered to see what she was going to do. Thanking Goldstar with every step, Owlflame called Shard to the front of a miniature statue of Goldstar where she would restore her Bending.

She recalled what Goldstar had done to give her back her Bending, Owlflame focused with all her might on the element Shard had been able to Bend. When she lifted her muzzle away, Shard gazed back at her in surprise and tried to Bend the rocks surrounding the temple with a flick of her tail. To everyone's surprise, she was successful.

Stonetail's jaw dropped, Emerald's eyes widened in wonder, and Redblaze had pride and joy in his eyes. The same went with Sunstar, and Silverheart was nodding slightly with a knowing smile, her silver pelt flowing in the breeze. In other words, everyone was happy to see this amazing sight.

"Thank you so much, Owlflame," Shard meowed, dipping her head to her.

Owlflame did the same, looking around after that. Sunstar was padding forth, pride in his gray eyes, while the other cats were cheering.

"I am so proud of you...Avatar Cat Owlflame," Sunstar rumbled, bowing to her in respect.

_All the wisdom to lead_

_All the courage that you need_

_You will find when you see_

_We are one_

Filled with joy, Owlflame dipped her head to her mentor, thankful for everything he had done. She lifted her head and gave a yowl to the heavens as a message to StarClan, a yowl of thanks. The other cats followed her lead, lifting their muzzles to the sky and yowling, while Nisa let out a howl and Timon tried to imitate her. During the yowling, Owlflame closed her eyes and felt the wind blow against her fur, relishing in the fresh coolness.

_Well done, Owlflame. _Goldstar's voice echoed in her heart as she smelled his scent in the gentle wind. _We are one._

_**(The End...for now!)**_

**...**

**Korra: It's finally over.**

**AvatarCat13: Yeah...for Book 1 anyways. And I'm definitely gonna make an epilogue for this season like I did with the others.**

**Korra: That sounds good. And at the very end of this chapter...that was from the Lion King 2, right? It was what Mufasa said.**

**AvatarCat13: You're right. This series is generally a mix of The Legend Of Korra and Warrior Cats. It also has a mix of Ginga Densetsu Weed and The Lion King. Anyways, you wanna say the review thing and the preview for the epilogue?**

**Korra: Sure! (To the readers) Be sure to read and review, folks! Those who do will get either a plush doll or a figurine of your favorite Legend Of Korra character in their cat form. We don't allow any flames here or I'll put 'em out with WaterBending, but we DO allow advice and constructive criticism.**

**Preview: Owlflame is now recovering from the battle of United City and is willing to show her love to Redblaze. Meanwhile, a StarClan cat keeps an eye on them and recalls his time in the Clans. Great memories will come out, and this cat promises to watch over Owlflame as long as he is her guide.**

**Both: See ya next time!**


	14. Epilogue

**AvatarCat13: Well, here we are. The epilogue of Avatar Cat 2.**

**Korra: Don't forget that it's also called Legend Of Owlflame.**

**AvatarCat13: I know, Korra. This one is gonna be quite short unlike the other epilogues.**

**Korra: But still, it'd be nice to see what Aang's cat form would do in StarClan. And the newest Warrior Cats series is out now!**

**AvatarCat13: I know. I got it on last Thursday, and I've been awe-struck by the characters and the such, like Gray Wing and Clear Sky! And I better go ahead and get the disclaimer over with.**

**Disclaimer: None of these series belong to me. They belong to Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, and Erin Hunter. But this scene belongs to me.**

**Summary: ****Owlflame is now recovering from the battle of United City and is willing to show her love to Redblaze. Meanwhile, a StarClan cat keeps an eye on them and recalls his time in the Clans. Great memories will come out, and this cat promises to watch over Owlflame as long as he is her guide.**

**Finishing Date: March 20, 2013**

**Enjoy!**

**...**

_**An Ancestor's Nostalgia**_

"Come on, Owlflame! You wanna go hunting?"

Owlflame looked up to see Redblaze standing at the entrance of the compound she had trained in. It had been a quarter-moon since Goldstar had given her Bending back to her, and she wanted to live each day now. She now knew all four elements, and what was even better was that she and Redblaze were mates at last. At first, she was worried that Emerald was angry at her about that, but the calico she-cat reassured her that it was fine; they had broken up before the battle.

And now...she felt free. Owlflame could hunt with her best friends whenever she wanted, and the cats of the Order could not deny her a chance for hunting in the arctic. Silverheart would make sure of that.

"Sure," she purred to Redblaze. "Should Stonetail and Emerald come with us?"

Redblaze shrugged with a smile. "I don't see why not. The more, the merrier, right?"

So Owlflame turned around and headed to where the visitors to the compound would stay at, noticing Emerald and Stonetail. Her friends were chatting with each other at the entrance to the guest room area, their fur ruffling slightly in the cold breeze; thanks to their thick pelts, they could endure the cold. When they saw Owlflame and Redblaze padding over towards them, they smiled and got up, padding over to them.

"Hey bro!" Stonetail called. "What's up?"

Owlflame replied, "We were gonna ask you two if you wanted to come hunting with us. So...do you wanna come with us?" Turning to Emerald, she purred, "And if you'd like, I can teach you some WaterClan fishing tricks."

The calico she-cat smiled. "Sure. The only thing I've hunted since you guys taught me were birds. Count me in."

Stonetail waggled his stubby tail. "Count me in too!"

"I think it's a great idea, you four."

The four cats turned to see Silverheart standing before them, her dark blue eyes swimming with affection and nostalgia. Owlflame recalled that her mentor and her friends had done a lot of hunting on their travels, either hunting true prey or scavenging in the streets. Now she was even more grateful for all she had done for her during her hunting.

"You really think so?" Owlflame asked her.

Silverheart nodded. "Of course. Emerald will need all the hunting lessons she can get. And I know you can teach your friends well in hunting in the tundra."

Owlflame blinked in gratitude towards her mentor and laid her muzzle on her shoulder while she did the same. She was always grateful for the old silver tabby's advice and motherly instincts; she also knew the importance of friends and family. When they broke apart, she saw her friends already at the entrance of the compound, waiting for her to catch up. So Owlflame gave a swift meow of thanks to Silverheart and raced ahead to join the hunt.

Little did she know that a certain cat was watching her on the rocks...

**...**

As he watched Owlflame and her mate leave to go hunting some more, Goldstar gave a sigh and sat up. It felt good to see his reincarnation enjoying life now that he had given her Bending back. Watching her grow into a fine Avatar Cat reminded the golden tom of himself when he was a young warrior. He recalled back when he fought against Darkstar and took away his Bending with the power Firestar gave him. And he in turn gave it to Owlflame to use it for good, for the good of all the Clans.

So Goldstar crouched low on the rocks and leapt up, feeling his paws leap from one star to the other, as he thanked StarClan for this power. Once he saw the entrance to StarClan, he leapt inside until he found himself surrounded by lush forests and several hills. Goldstar looked back below to see Silverheart watching his reincarnation and her friends leave with joy on her face, thankful to have had a kind and motherly mate while he was alive. He turned back around and headed deeper into the forest, leaping over tree trunks and stones.

Noticing a chaffinch in the lowest branch of a birch tree, he crouched low, preparing to catch it. But as he bunched his muscles together, he heard a voice ring out.

"Hello, Goldstar."

Goldstar looked around in time before the chaffinch flew off to call an alarm. The golden cat ignored it and turned to face Firestar, whose green eyes were filled with the same wisdom and kindness he had shown before. His (Goldstar's) friends, Ashfeather and Nightfoot, were beside him, their faces kind and supportive.

"I was just wondering what StarClan would approve of Owlflame being who she is," Goldstar greeted them. "I believe she's a very fine warrior."

Ashfeather chuckled, "Come on, Goldstar. You're a StarClan cat too."

"And she's an awesome warrior," Nightfoot added. "She's your reincarnation, after all."

Goldstar nodded. "True."

"And besides, she's in good paws," Ashfeather meowed, his ear flicking away a moth with a smile. "I still can't believe it after nearly a year...my own sister...training the newest Avatar Cat."

"Come," Firestar meowed, turning around. "It's time to share tongues with the other warriors of StarClan."

The golden tom nodded as he followed his ancestor and his friends through a great rock that leaned against two trees. He was strongly reminded of the shelter Nightfoot had EarthBended for Silverheart when she gave birth to her kits. Goldstar leapt into the hole, following the three other cats through the short tunnel and feeling the soft moss under his pads. When they arrived at the end of the tunnel, he gave a small happy sigh; this was one reason he loved being a StarClan cat.

Many cats were in the large clearing, either sharing tongues or eating prey. Some of them were warriors that lived ten years after the Fourteen Year War came to an end; others were those who lived before the War came around. There were even cats that lived beyond the new Clans, now living together as if there was no problem with it. Much of the tensions that had been amongst the Clans had long been forgotten as nine Clans had joined together after death.

As soon as the four cats reached the others, two toms and two she-cats joined them. They were Silverheart and Ashfeather's mother Seamist (a silver tabby-&-white she-cat with blue eyes), Hollyleaf (a black she-cat with green eyes), Seamist's mate Emberstar (a dark gray tom with one dark blue eye and one pale blue eye), and a large white tom with black paws. Goldstar wondered what they wanted.

"Did you hear?" Seamist purred, her blue eyes shining. "Owlflame and Redblaze's relationship is growing strong. Let's hope their kits look up to them well in the future!"

Hollyleaf's green eyes were glowing with nostalgia. "Yes, it's really great..." But her voice trailed away as she looked to the side.

Sensing this, Nightfoot padded over to the other black cat and asked, "Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah." But then Hollyleaf meowed, "I was just reminded of how my brothers and I were born from an inter-Clan relationship. I'm not really obsessed with the Warrior Code anymore," she added quickly. "It's just...part of me is afraid Redblaze might leave Owlflame..."

"He won't," Goldstar reassured her. "He's already shown her how much he loves her. Besides, with all four Clans in peace and working together, things might turn out better than before. And the Clans are now surviving."

"And what about United City?" Emberstar spoke up. "What'll happen to it after the battle with the Equalists?"

Firestar told him, "It'll regrow again. Just like flowers blooming in newleaf after a harsh leaf-bare, so will the city. Just give it some time."

"Not only that, but the Clans aren't in danger anymore," the white tom (Blackstar) added. "Well, that can take some stress off our paws. So...who's up for hunting?"

As soon as the word "hunting" left Blackstar's mouth, many cats pricked their ears up and chanted stuff like "We wanna come along!" and "Sure. I'm hungry." Several, like Sandstorm and Billystorm, had come forth to join in with the hunt. And several medicine cats like Jayfeather, Echosong, and Spottedleaf had offered to heal any wounds picked up on the hunt. Besides, there were plenty of other medicine cats that could stay and heal others.

The patrol moved off, and Goldstar hared away with them. This was also what he liked about being a StarClan cat: he would never get old and stay as his middle-aged adult stage. He ran beside Ashfeather, Nightfoot, and an ancient WindClan leader named Tallstar. They ran through the forest among the undergrowth, their whiskers quivering and their ears swiveling around for prey. Goldstar watched some of the cats split up into pairs while he and Tallstar went into another small group.

Not too far away was a rabbit nibbling on grass, looking up now and then to check around. Goldstar watched Tallstar creep up towards the brown creature, staying low in the tall grass and lifting their tails to prevent any noise. But Goldstar felt his tail brush accidentally against a grass stalk, startling the rabbit into flight. With a hiss, he and Tallstar leapt away after it, but it didn't take too long to see where it had gone to.

The rabbit had already been caught, and Goldstar saw who caught it. A young pure white she-cat had pinned it down to the ground with one forepaw, looking up in surprise at them. Her blue eyes softened when she saw the hunting patrol approach her.

"Sorry, everyone," the she-cat mewed with an embarrassed smile. "I didn't know you were out hunting. I was just resting near the Lunar River, and I saw it running towards me. So..."

"It's fine, Moonfeather," Tallstar told her, dipping his head politely to her. "I can't get angry at the Moon Spirit for catching prey around here."

The beautiful white she-cat purred before looking at the rest of the hunters. "I've just seen how some of the stricter StarClan cats acted about Owlflame and Redblaze. They're still not entirely happy about cats being from different Clans."

"And it's a good thing too!"

A skinny tom had burst out of the bushes, his black pelt bristling. He spat, "Don't you see what interbreeding with the other Clans is doing? It's ruining every bloodline our Clans had fought for to preserve!"

"Swallowflight, that's all in the past now," Ashfeather growled, having just arrived to confront the SkyClan cat. "Besides, if you breed with another cat, there won't be just blood that matters. What matters more is how they're raised; that's what counts."

Goldstar nodded with his old friend. The dark gray tabby had always been smart, but he had become even wiser in StarClan.

"No, of course he's right." A she-cat with an orange tabby pelt and unfriendly green eyes had leapt out of the bushes and faced them angrily. "For far too long, the Clans have interbred with each other instead of staying true to their own Clans. We should make a rule in the Warrior Code that cats should mate with cats in their own Clans! That way, no cat should ever create mistakes like Sunstar and those two rogue friends of the Avatar Cat!" And as she said this, Swallowflight was nodding with her with a smug look on his face.

Goldstar could hardly believe what he was hearing. This was a very veiled insult at Owlflame's friends, his son, and his family, but what she was proposing was even worse. He had recalled tales of an unused rule in the Warrior Code that barred kittypets, rogues, and loners from ever becoming warriors. Plus, the time for inter-Clan prejudice had been long gone ever since the four new Clans were formed.

"Are you insinuating that you want to separate the Clans because of breeding, something ALL cats do?" Goldstar retorted with a hiss. "And it seems that you're insulting my mate, kits, and grandkits too. AirClan would have been gone forever if Silverheart and I didn't have kits together. Is that what you would have wanted? A whole Clan to go extinct just to keep all the prejudice?" He turned around to the other StarClan cats, who were listening, and went on, "Listen to me. You can choose to not my words if you want, but why should we let the same old racism continue even among StarClan? The time of the old Clans is over, and if the new ones stuck to the old ways, who knows how that would've turned out? So the new Clans adapted to their new world, and it's thanks to them that they still remember us. We must not remember what divides us, but rather, we must remember which draws us together."

"He's right," Nightfoot added, standing beside him. "Besides, Firestar and I've been kittypets before becoming warriors. Yet we've done good in our lives, and now we're among friends here. Interbreeding with the Clans doesn't change that."

Swallowflight and Honeyleaf shared angry looks before looking back at the patrol. Finally, they just gave a snort and stalked off into the bushes, not bothering to look back.

"I think they're at a loss for words," Moonfeather meowed. "But they'll get over it."

"Moonfeather's right," Ashfeather meowed quickly, and Goldstar knew his old friend was mates with her and Echo In Quiet Storm, who lived with both Clan and Tribe ancestors. "Now come on! I'm getting hungry here!"

The cats purred at this as they raced off towards the bushes opposite where Swallowflight and Honeyleaf disappeared through. But Goldstar didn't follow them; instead, he looked over at the pond Moonfeather had been swimming in and padded over. Once there, he sat at the edge and looked deep into the water, thinking of a certain memory.

It was when he and his friends were travelling through FireClan and stopping at the volcano that killed Whitestorm the Second. The Avatar Cat before him and Shadowstar, both of these cats as Bearstar's great-grandfathers, had been friends before they fell out. While there, Nightfoot had asked him a question:

"Do you really think friendships can last throughout eternity?" Nightfoot had been the one to ask this question.

Goldwing had padded over to the young blind she-cat and twined her tail with his, giving her a smile. "I don't see why not."

Silverheart padded over to the two cats and joined them in the twining of tails before Ashfeather joined in. Goldstar knew that it had come true now; he recalled moons ago about a vision he had when he was a young warrior. He had seen a blue-gray she-cat and an elderly silver tabby saying good-bye and embracing; those were Owlflame and Silverheart.

_Nightfoot was right all along, _the golden tom mused, looking into the depths of the water as he recalled the night Owlflame was born. _Friendships really CAN last through eternity._

"Owlflame will be fine." Goldstar turned around to see Firestar standing before him; the tom with the flame-colored pelt must have read his mind. "She's in good paws as long as she has faith. Now come; we better get back to hunting."

"Okay," Goldstar replied.

And with a last look at the pond, he raced off after his ancestor into the bushes of StarClan.

_**The End...for now.**_

**...**

**Korra: So that's it, huh? That sounds like a good ending for Book 1 if you ask me.**

**AvatarCat13: Yep. And I forgot to tell you, Korra. My dog Reesey gave birth to five puppies last night.**

**Korra: Really?! Tell her I said congrats!**

**AvatarCat13: I will, though humans and dogs can't understand each other. So would you like to say the review thing and the preview for Book 2: Souls?**

**Korra: Sure! (To the readers) Remember to read and review this story, everyone! Those who do will get either a plush doll of Goldstar or another cat...or even a plush doll of a dachshund puppy! We don't allow flames, but we allow advice and constructive criticism as long as it's not harsh.**

**Preview: Now that she has learned AirBending and the Avatar Cat State, Owlflame is ready to take on the spiritual side. Not only that, but she also has to deal with Redblaze, her mate who now has a job in the city, Emerald shaking off the bad reputation Romulus stained his company with, her uncle and silent cousins, and Sunstar's siblings. But there is also a dark spirit stalking her in her dreams...what does it want?**

**AvatarCat13: And here's a list of all those who reviewed this FanFic:**

_**Sunheart13, fanfic meister, The Great Detective Mei, COMPUTER, Hazelblossom, HazelFireSky, Guest, KuchiraCrystal-Sama, Howlsong12, Moonsnow**_

**Both: SEE YA NEXT TIME! AND HAPPY EARLY EASTER!**


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